Pokemon: Criminal Investigations
by LightningSword89
Summary: Kanto's greatest detective, 'The Rogue', has been tasked with his greatest case. A madman on the loose in Kanto has confessed to his greatest crime before the fact: he intends to destroy the Indigo Plateau. With no other way to stop him, the Rogue has one month to enter the Plateau undercover in this year's League Tournament, by becoming that which he hates most: a Pokemon Trainer!
1. 1 - A Charming Rogue

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#1: A Charming Rogue

It was still broad daylight, and the robber felt nervous about making this job. Sure, it was a Sunday, so the Pokémon Trainer's School was closed and made it easy pickings, but still, there was a reason crime was down quite a bit lately in Viridian City. He just hoped the inside guys would come out with the goods soon, because he felt like that very reason would be showing up any minute.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of waiting, the door to the back of the building opened, and the two inside guys filed out, carrying two overfilled trash bags of what looked like small spherical objects. The door man knew what was in those bags: PokéBalls. To be precise, PokéBalls containing the Pokémon used by the teachers to train the students, as well as the many Starter Pokémon bred and kept for Professor Oak to distribute to new Trainers. The two inside guys heaved the bags off their backs and onto the ground, apparently exhausted with their work.

"And just where have you guys been?!" Door Guy barked as loudly as he could without giving them all away, "Do you know how stupid I feel just hanging out in the back of a school? Anyone out here could've been suspicious!"

"Oh, calm down, rookie!" the first guy said as he grabbed both bags and slung them over his shoulders, "We got the goods we came here for, and no one suspected a thing. The only problem now is whether or not the wheel guy gets here! He should've been here a half hour ago!"

"Both of you idiots shut it!" growled the other guy, who Door Guy thought must be the boss of the heist, "As long as we keep quiet and make like we're taking out garbage, like we _planned_, we'll have no problems. Then, it's a four-way split with all these awesome Pokes!"

Door Guy still wasn't so sure, but nodded to make sure the other two saw he agreed. After a few minutes, a van pulled up behind the building and parked right next to the dumpster, idling in neutral and waiting for the trio to board. Door Guy sighed in relief; they might just pull off this job after all! Slowly, Sack Guy made his way toward the dumpster, ready to load the bags into the nearby van, while Door Guy and Boss walked in opposite directions. The plan was that after Sack Guy loaded the bags onto the van discreetly, Wheel Guy would pick up Sack Guy there, then swing around for Door Guy, and finally circle around to pick up Boss later. So far, everything was going to plan.

Until Door Guy saw a shadow.

"What? What was that?" he panicked, turning every which way and trying to track down the small shadow he had just seen. Whatever it belonged to, it was small, and it looked like it had wings.

He glanced out toward Boss, but he merely gestured for Door Guy to keep his eyes in front. He jumped and obeyed, but released a yelp when he saw the shadow again. Now very scared, he spun around wildly, yelling, "Who's there?!" No answer.

"Stay focused!" he heard Sack Guy growl from across the parking lot. Door Guy took two deep breaths, and kept walking, trying to stay calm. _You're imagining things_, he told himself,_ it's all in your head. You're gonna be fine_.

That's when Door Guy heard the screech. Whether it was human or Pokémon, he couldn't tell, and didn't want to stick around and find out. "Forget the cut," he shouted manically, "I'm gettin' out of here NOW!"

_SWOOP!_

Door Guy was on the ground in an instant after seeing that shadow again. This time, though, after landing hard on his back in the middle of the concrete parking lot, he finally saw what was stalking him. It was a small, bat-like creature, with blue skin, purple wing membranes, and no eyes. It opened its sharp-fanged mouth and emitted another screech that might've sounded like a victory cry.

Off in the distance, Door Guy heard the sound of a motor roaring, and was only able to hear the other two guys getting into the van and speeding away as the motor sound came closer.

With a rev of the motorcycle's engine, the Rogue swept down to the spot where the first robber went down. He moaned in pain, but seemed otherwise unharmed. The Rogue then dug around in the sidecar, pulled out a pair of handcuffs, and bound the fallen robber with them quickly.

"Great job, Zubat!" the Rogue called out as he returned to his cycle, "but those other two managed to book. You go on ahead, and I'll call this creep into Officer Jenny."

Zubat shrieked in agreement and flew ahead, leaving a burst of wind in its wake. The Rogue then brought out another device from the sidecar: a small cell phone of his own design called the PokéCell.

"RZ-20 to Jenny, come in," he mumbled into the rotated frontal mouthpiece.

After a second or two of static, a feminine voice answered, "Jenny here, go ahead, Rogue."

"I'm currently in pursuit of the thieves along West Forest Road. Left one in the parking lot for your collar, requesting assistance."

More static, then, ""Acknowledged, leave it to us."

The Rogue then folded the PokéCell and pocketed it. "Good ol' Jenny," he muttered, smiling, then revved the engine again, "Hang on, Zubat, I'm on my way."

The Rogue caught up to Zubat quickly, who was now flying at top speed, just beside the robbers' van. The van was swerving to the side, in an attempt to swat Zubat away, but the Bat Pokémon was quicker, and flapped out of the way just as the van swerved in its direction.

The Rogue saw the loom of trees in the distance as both vehicles continued the chase. "No! They're headed for the forest!" he called, "Zubat, Bite the driver's side door off!"

Zubat screeched its compliance, then dove onto the side of the van, sinking its fangs into the door handle and ripping it off, the tearing metal making a tremendously high-pitched crunch. Zubat repeated the process on the hinges of the door, and the entire hunk of steel flew off of the vehicle. The Rogue had to swerve to the side to avoid being hit.

The thieves could be heard from inside the van now, "NO! Hold onto the bag! I'll handle him!" The head of the group then poked his arm out from the hole where the door once was, holding a shrunken PokéBall. He pressed the button of a small object in his hand, expanding it to full size, and with another press of a button, it sprang open with a metallic PANG! A flash of white light followed, and on the roof of the van appeared a large, blue jellyfish-like creature, with large, red jewels adorning its top, and a mass of waving tentacles underneath. It released a bubbling growl and swung its tentacles at Zubat angrily.

The boss made commands to his Tentacruel from inside the van, "Hit that cop with Acid!" The Jellyfish Pokémon obeyed, and aimed its tentacles at the Rogue's motorcycle, squirting a sizzling liquid through the air. The Rogue made an attempt to turn away, but Zubat suddenly swooped in and took the attack, the corrosive liquid brushing off of it as if it were water.

"Thanks, Zubat!" the Rogue shouted, "Now, fight back with Confuse Ray, and follow up with Wing Attack!" Zubat nodded, and set off a loud screech as a blinding light shone from its mouth, hitting Tentacruel head on. The larger Pokémon tried to fight back, but could do nothing but strike itself in the head with its own tentacles before Zubat dive-bombed Tentacruel with its outstretched wings. The Water creature lost its balance and toppled off the roof of the van, grunting in pain and defeated.

After Tentacruel landed, the van came to a screeching halt, and the two robbers exited, facing the Rogue as he rolled up to them and stopped. The Rogue disembarked, stood for a second and waited for his Zubat to fly back and land gently on his shoulder, then walked toward the two robbers with a confident grin on his face, "So, do you intend to surrender, or humiliate yourselves further?"

The boss was angry, but his partner seemed unwilling to move. The boss raced forward, determined to go down swinging.

The Rogue sighed expectantly, "Yeah, I thought so. Zubat, Supersonic!" Zubat took off, and the Rogue knelt to one knee, turned around, and covered his ears as his Pokémon partner emitted a deafening scream that brought both robbers to their knees.

Walking into the police station at Viridian City was like walking into Times Square during New Year's Eve. The police department had been after that trio of Pokémon thieves for weeks, and could not get anywhere in their investigations. However, once the Rogue was given the case, it only took two days for the detective to track the thieves, predict their next location for a heist, foil the crime, and put them behind bars. Even though the Rogue mainly took private clients, and only occasionally aided the police, many of the citizens of Viridian, and indeed most of the police force, considered the Rogue's keen intellect and deduction skills to be a blessing to the Kanto region.

"Hey, Rogue! Nice collar!" called out one officer, to which the detective nodded.

"Way to go, guys!" another officer called out. The Rogue nodded again, and Zubat purred happily on the Rogue's shoulder.

"Another set for the lock-up!"

"Your approval rating goes up yet again!"

"Keep up the good work, detective!"

The Rogue couldn't help but smile from behind the high collar of his long dark-blue duster. Some people could be so overzealous. He even had to duck when a cork came flying at him out of nowhere; one officer was impetuous enough to bring a bottle of champagne. The Rogue could do nothing but sigh and shake his head at this.

After receiving the paperwork for the case, the Rogue sat down and began his report. He was not an official member of the police force in Viridian, but it was still necessary to follow proper procedure. When it came to his job, he left no stone unturned. He kept his attention even as a tapping noise approached from ahead. It was the heels of Officer Jenny; she was more than likely coming to award more praise for the detective's fine work.

Her voice confirmed the person, but not the words, "Well, we've found a decent place for the Pokémon those robbers used. There will be some nice Trainers out there who will take good care of them."

The Rogue looked up slightly, rolled his eyes, and continued his paperwork with a lazy sigh.

"What's the matter, Rogue?" Jenny asked, "You always have an attitude problem whenever someone talks about Pokémon Trainers. Why is that?"

The Rogue, out of politeness, broke his silence, "Unsavory people, that's all."

Jenny chuckled at this response, "What? You've brought in thieves, kidnappers, con artists and Pokémon abusers! A ten-year-old with a Bulbasaur is hardly the worst person in the world!"

"Enough already!" the Rogue barked, "I don't have to explain it! I just don't like Pokémon Trainers! It is the worst possible profession, and those who do it are wasting their lives when they could be doing much more important things!"

Jenny seemed taken aback, "But, what about your Zubat? You train it, you battle with it. Doesn't that make you a Trainer, too?"

The Rogue sighed again, "I'll only say this once, okay? I am _not_ a Trainer. Zubat is not a pet, or a soldier, or a sidekick, or even my Pokémon. He's my partner. We're equals, and we work as equals. That's why I never keep him in one of those ball contraptions. Isn't that right, old friend?"

Zubat, now hanging upside-down from a hand-built perch beside the Rogue's desk, nodded with a slight shriek.

Jenny sighed, then replied, "Okay, I get it. Sorry I brought it up."

The Rogue closed his eyes, realizing he had gotten carried away, and answered, "Forget about it. The job just gets me high-strung, that's all. Did we get the redistribution forms for those Pokémon?"

Jenny nodded, "All finished. The one for the boss guy's Tentacruel just went out. Professor Oak asked me to give you his thanks for cracking the case, by the way."

The Rogue nodded, "Tell him I said I'm always on call."

Another voice made the Rogue look up from his paperwork: a voice that was uncommon in the Viridian Police Department, Nurse Joy. "Excuse me?" she said in a high, soft voice, "Mr. Rogue, sir?"

The Rogue stood up from his desk to greet the nurse, "Hello, Joy. What can I do for you?"

Nurse Joy seemed despondent somehow, "I'm afraid I have some terrible news. I was just greeted by my cousin in Saffron City, and she gave me some news about your mother."

The Rogue's heart raced suddenly, and Zubat seemed to feel it. The Bat Pokémon flew from its perch and landed on the detective's shoulder. "What's wrong, Joy? What happened? Is she all right?"

Nurse Joy was hesitant, "Well, she said that your mother took a turn for the worse, and . . . well, I'm afraid . . . I'm afraid they couldn't save her. I'm dreadfully sorry." She inclined her head forward in a small bow.

The detective said nothing. His mother had been sick for years, and he knew this day would come. He didn't think, though, that it would seem so soon. She was the only family he had left, and he never even took the time to say good-bye; in recent years, his visits were few and far between. Sadness, guilt, and grief crept at him, but he did not show it. He remained stoic, and his face remained blank.

Finally, he took a breath and responded, "I see. No need to apologize, it was inevitable. I just hope she passed away peacefully."

Nurse Joy nodded, but continued, "Also, I was hoping you could accompany me to the Pokémon Center. There's something important you must see in regards to her will."

"Will?" the Rogue did a double-take, eyeing the nurse with confusion, "Mom never told me she had a will made."

"Well, I'm not sure it's a will, per se," Nurse Joy corrected herself, "but she did have certain conditions that she wanted met in the event of her death. If you'll please come with me, we can sort them all out."

The Rogue glanced at Zubat, and his partner looked back with an eyeless glare, seeming to not know what to expect. After a few moments of silence, the Rogue turned back to the worried nurse, "Lead the way, Joy."

The Rogue walked through the doors of the Viridian City Pokémon Center with Zubat at his side, following Nurse Joy to this mysterious will she had told him about. The Rogue had been suddenly worried by this development. Why would his mother write a will? Her sickness wasn't guaranteed to be fatal, and she was never a pessimistic person. Did she somehow know her time was short? And if so, how? And what could she possibly want to put in a will for her son? For once in the Rogue's colorful detecting career, he had many questions, and not a single answer.

The detective and the nurse both approached the front desk in little time, despite the hustle and bustle of Trainers, treated Pokémon, and Chansey nurses working from task to task. Nurse Joy reached behind the desk, took a large, important-looking folder and opened it, revealing the document that the Rogue figured would answer his questions.

At least, he hoped it would.

"This was given to the Pokémon Center by your mother a few days before her death," Nurse Joy declared as the Rogue observed, listening carefully. Nurse Joy appeared to be looking over it quickly, and after a few seconds, she began to read tentatively aloud:

"_My name is Kaiya, and this is my last will and testament, written in sound mind. My sickness has taken a terrible turn, and I'm aware of my remaining hours in this world. I must write this in order to settle my affairs before I go, and they will be settled as follows:_

"_To my husband: I'm sorry I wasn't able to find you before my passing, but if you should ever return home to Viridian City, I leave you the ownership and management of my Pokémon breeding establishment, _Kaiya's Heart and Soul Pokémon Care_. I know you will guide it through the same good times they once had before my absence. I love you, and I wish you the best of luck._

_To my son, the Viridian City private detective known only as 'the Rogue': I'm sorry we never got the chance to talk, and I'm sure you must feel guilty about not seeing me often. Please don't be. Your career helps many people, and you are a beloved figure in your hometown. With that, I know I can leave this world knowing that I raised you to be a wonderful son, the greatest a mother could ever ask for._"

The Rogue gestured to Nurse Joy to stop for a moment; he could feel his emotions finally breaking through, and had to dry a tear trickling down from his eye. Another gesture to proceed, and Nurse Joy continued,

"_To you, my son, I leave my home in Viridian City and the rest of my worldly possessions, which can be located in the aforementioned property. I also leave you a special companion that has helped me through these last, difficult months. It is located inside the PokéBall which must be presented to you at the reading of this document. This PokéBall is presented to you, my son, with a simple request: that you resume your training and begin your long-awaited journey as a Pokémon Trainer._"

"What?!" the Rogue suddenly yelled, dumbstruck at this condition. Nurse Joy jumped at the sudden volume of his voice, and had a look of withdrawn upset on her face. The Rogue noticed this, and soothed her nerves, "My apologies. Please proceed." Nurse Joy took a calming breath, and continued:

"_My darling son, I wish I could be with you longer, but I know now that that cannot be done. Please remember, though, that no matter what happens, I will always love you more than anything in this world. Whether you choose to resume your strive to become a Trainer or not is your choice, but whatever you decide, I will respect your decision. Goodbye, my son. I love you, and I will always be with you._"

Nurse Joy finally finished reading, and the Rogue's mind was blank. He could barely comprehend all that had just been said; his mother's breeding business left to his traveling father, his mother leaving him everything else. It all seemed like her death just wasn't enough to shake the foundation of the Rogue's life. But the worst thing of all: she wanted him to become a Pokémon Trainer, the profession he despised more than anything. The detective was now aware that he hadn't spend nearly enough time with his mother; she must not been aware of his feelings about Pokémon training.

"That's strange," Nurse Joy said as she perused the document once again, "She asked you to 'resume' your training for your 'long-awaited' journey. You wanted to be a Trainer, Mr. Rogue?"

"She said something about a 'companion'?" the Rogue said quickly, changing the subject as swiftly as he could, "What was that? She said it was in a PokéBall?"

"Oh!" Nurse Joy suddenly chirped, blushing slightly, "I completely forgot! One moment, please." She set the folder on the desk, reached behind it again, and took out a small object tied with a blue ribbon. It was a PokéBall. After removing the ribbon, with the press of a button, the ball swelled to full-size. Another press of a button, and the ball opened with a loud PANG! A flash of light flew from the ball, landed on the ground at their feet, and materialized into a Pokémon. It was small, no more than two feet high, and reptilian in appearance. It was bipedal, colored with orange skin and a cream-yellow belly, and had a long tail that was topped with a small, torch-like flame. It looked up at the Rogue with a set of large, shiny eyes and squealed, "Char!"

The Rogue could hardly believe his eyes, "A Charmander?! My mother left me a Charmander?! Are you sure she was of sound mind when she wrote that?"

"But, Mr. Rogue," Nurse Joy replied meekly, "This Charmander kept your mother company for months before she died. If you don't take it, it has nowhere to go. Besides, I'm sure it would really help you on your Pokémon journey—"

"No way!" the Rogue barked, "I won't do it! There is no way I'm becoming one of those contemptible Poké-wanderers! I have a job here that needs to be done, and I refuse to leave these people when they need me!"

"But, sir," Nurse Joy replied, the meekness growing in her voice, "What about this Charmander? I can't take it, my hands are tied."

Charmander glanced at Nurse Joy, then looked back at the Rogue with a sweet, high-pitched coo, "Mander! Charmander!"

"Find some foolish kid to take it!" the Rogue's frustration was peaked, "I am not a Pokémon Trainer, and that's final!" With that, the detective turned sharply, a violent flare in his dark-blue duster, and stormed toward the door, dislodging Zubat from his shoulder and forcing it to fly after him.

That was when the door opened.

Professor Oak, a middle-aged gentleman in a white lab coat, walked quickly through the door, stopping right in front of the Rogue as he walked toward the exit. "Oh! Detective, I'm glad I found you!"

The Rogue was surprised by the professor's sudden appearance, but caught his composure as quickly as possible, "Hello, Professor. Is there something wrong?"

"Yes! Terribly wrong!" Professor Oak raved, "Something awful is going to happen, and you're the only person I can turn to! The Indigo Plateau is in grave danger!"


	2. 2 - Terror at the Plateau

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#2: Terror at the Plateau

The Rogue was surprised at this sudden, distressing news. The Indigo Plateau, in danger? The Plateau was the joint authority over the entire Pokémon League across the Kanto and Johto regions, and although the Rogue disliked the very idea of Pokémon training, he still believed that the Plateau was just like any other place: undeserving of the potential threats of crime.

"Danger?" the Rogue repeated, "What do you mean, Professor?"

"Please accompany me to my lab in Pallet Town, and I'll explain everything!" the Professor responded anxiously, "I've wasted enough time as it is, I'm afraid. I had to run all the way here!"

The Rogue sighed and rolled his eyes, "We'll take my bike to your lab, I've been to Pallet before."

The Professor cocked an eyebrow, "Bike? Are you sure of that, Detective?"

"Of course, Professor," the Rogue answered, trying to keep the moan out of his voice, "Just take the spare helmet, and try to hold on." And with that, the Rogue walked past the Professor to the door, Zubat flying to his side.

Nurse Joy fretfully called out to him just beforehand, "But Mr. Rogue, what do you want to do about Charmander?" She gestured to the small reptilian Pokémon that was still standing on the floor next to her, wagging its torch-like tail and staring at the Rogue with wide, expectant eyes.

The Rogue froze, muttered incoherently in frustration, and barked, "Just keep it here until I get back, I'll figure something out."

"Oh," Nurse Joy seemed crestfallen, "All right then. I'll keep it as long as I can. Just please hurry back."

The Rogue nodded, and with an ominous sweep of his duster, exited the Pokémon Center, Zubat at his side and Professor Oak bringing up the rear.

With a roar of the engine, the Rogue's motorcycle brought them all directly to the front door of Professor Oak's laboratory in Pallet Town in very little time. Zubat had stopped flying and landed back on the detective's shoulder, but Professor Oak was not quite as comfortable: he had nervously gripped the sides of the sidecar, his teeth gritted and his eyes like saucers.

The Rogue dismounted swiftly, and noticed his passenger's condition. "Everything all right, Professor?"

Professor Oak, slowly shaking off his nervousness from the ride, removed his helmet and climbed clumsily out of the sidecar and to his feet, "Yes, quite all right. Hurry! Time is short!" And with more energy than the Rogue thought a man of his years should have, the professor raced to the door, flung it open, and ran inside. The Rogue had to break into a full run, and Zubat had to fly full-speed, just to keep up.

Walking past desks, bookshelves and research assistants inside the lab, the group finally stopped at a desk in the back of the building. On one end of the desk were three small, hand-held computer objects (the Rogue knew them as PokéDexes), and on the other, three PokéBalls waiting to be claimed by starting Trainers. In the middle, though, was a computer with an e-mail message on the screen. It was written in large, strange type, but was well-readable.

"So, what seems to be the problem, Professor?" the Rogue asked calmly. The e-mail seemed vaguely interesting, but only before it had been read. Apart from that, nothing seemed suspicious just yet.

Professor Oak explained, the panic in his voice not well-hidden, "This morning, I received a message from someone I am not familiar with, but I was only able to read it just now. I'm afraid we have wasted too much time as it is, so please read it for yourself, and everything will be clear."

The Rogue's curiosity was stoked, but he shrugged it off and read the e-mail message on the screen. Unable to see the message, Zubat merely took off and rested on a bookshelf in the corner, while the Rogue read the message out loud. However, as he read, his curiosity returned, accompanied by worry and shock:

"_To the esteemed Professor Oak,_

"_I will make formalities brief. My name is Kaine. I cannot help but divulge that I am quite a fan of your work. However, the pleasantries will have to wait. I confess that I am rather well-known in my own field as well, so you should consider yourself honored that I intend to demonstrate my skills at the Pokémon League Tournament at the Indigo Plateau next month. On the final day of the tournament, before the final match, a series of highly sophisticated explosives, planted discreetly by yours truly, will violently detonate, utterly destroying the Plateau and every last Trainer and Pokémon in it."_

The Rogue's voice wound down as he read, and he felt his heart speed up. Anxious for answers, he read on:

"_You might ask me why I would plan to do such a horrible thing. If you would, I would give you no answer, for I have my own reasons. You might also ask why I would confess to the crime before I've even committed it. That would be a question I can answer: I am quite fond of a good challenge. I hear that a detective in fair Viridian City, who goes by the unintimidating and non-threatening _nom de guerre_ of 'the Rogue', is the greatest investigator the Kanto region has to offer. Which leads me to wonder: if no one is around to stop me, what enjoyment will I receive? However, as I seem unable to contact the Rogue personally, I suppose the grapevine will have to do. The following message is for the Rogue:_

"_You cannot stop me._

"_Do not try to find me before the tournament. Do not try to apprehend me before the tournament. You will never find me. The only place we will meet in is the Plateau, a mere hop, skip and jump from your fair hometown. Security at the Plateau is meaningless; I will be there, and I will conduct my plans. If you try to snoop around before or during the tournament, I will destroy the Plateau ahead of schedule, taking you with it. The preceding conditions lead to one last question: if you are such a brilliant detective, how do you plan to stop me? I look forward to seeing your methods, and I do hope, for your sake, that they work. You have one month to create your plan. Pray you don't disappoint me._

_Kind and honest regards,_

_KAINE"_

The Rogue finished reading, and gave a shaky sigh. A terrorist, in the Kanto region? The Rogue had never gone up against a criminal of this magnitude before. From his words, he seemed dangerous, cunning, and devious, and certainly had an ego if he thought he was clever enough to mock the Kanto region's greatest detective before committing this heinous act he was so sure he'd get away with. Truthfully, the Rogue was insulted, but also wary. Thugs like Kaine were good at having one play right into their hands.

"As you can see," Professor Oak spoke up after a long silence, "the situation is dire. This Kaine fellow, whoever he is, cannot be allowed to go through with this plot! You're the only person we can turn to, detective! Please say you'll help!"

The Rogue gave the matter a bit of thought, and revealed the first theory he had developed while reading the note, "Relax, Professor, it's probably just some punk kid trying to scare people."

"I'm not willing to take that chance!" the professor wailed, "I cannot risk so many innocent lives, especially with the symbol of the Pokémon League, the Indigo Plateau, involved! Besides, I can think of no better person to right this wrong than you. The people of this city revere you, as a hero!"

The Rogue sighed guiltily. He should have known Oak would play the 'people-look-up-to-you' card. "Well," the Rogue began, "is there any way to trace the e-mail back to its source?"

"I'm afraid I tried that already," Professor Oak replied, failure clenching his voice, "I had my assistants trace the IP address, internet signal, passwords, cookies, everything! This man is as transparent as a Ghost Pokémon!"

The Rogue rolled his eyes at the reference and continued to think of some way to catch this madman. He said that he could easily break through security, and that if the Rogue himself were to show up, asking questions, he could risk destroying the Plateau early. The Rogue could hardly believe what he felt: helplessness. For the first time, he was up against an opponent who had already won.

Zubat's screeching shifted the Rogue's thoughts, and he turned toward his Pokémon partner. The Bat Pokémon was no longer roosted on a bookshelf, but was now hanging upside-down on the edge of a frame hanging on the wall. Inside the frame, preserved as if it were a portrait, was a plaque containing a series of eight symbols: the eight badges of the Pokémon Gyms of the Kanto region, the BoulderBadge of Pewter City, the CascadeBadge of Cerulean City, Vermilion City's ThunderBadge, the RainbowBadge from Celadon City, the SoulBadge of Fuchsia City, Saffron City's MarshBadge, Cinnabar Island's VolcanoBadge, and, finally, the EarthBadge of his own Viridian City.

That's when the Rogue understood what Zubat meant. It seemed obvious now that, with all of Kaine's restrictions in place, the only person able to get into the Plateau and make sure everyone was safe without drawing suspicion was a participant of the tournament itself. But in the Kanto region (and, indeed, in every Pokémon League-supported region around the globe), only those who have earned all eight badges, one from each Gym, may have the opportunity to participate in the tournament. This meant one thing. It meant completely destroying his earlier-held beliefs. It meant complying with his mother's wishes in her will. It meant becoming that which he detested the most.

He had to become a Pokémon Trainer.

The Rogue shuddered audibly at this new plan. He would hate himself, true enough, but he knew there was no other choice to be made. Only a certified Trainer could earn badges, only a certified Trainer with eight of them could compete in the tournament, and only a certified Trainer competing in the tournament was in the best position to investigate the Plateau and catch Kaine before it was too late.

"What is it?" Professor Oak asked anxiously, "Do you have something?"

The Rogue stuck out his arm, bidding his Zubat to perch. Zubat obeyed, flapping off the wall and landing comfortably on the Rogue's arm. "Professor," the detective eased in, "I think I'll need a Pokémon Trainer's license."

Oak raised an eyebrow again, "Excuse me?"

The Rogue explained, "It seems I'll have to do some undercover work. If I can sneak into the tournament, I can look for Kaine without making him suspicious. But I'll need Kanto's badges, and that means—"

"Wait," the professor interrupted, "Detective, does this mean . . . . ?"

"Yes, Professor," the Rogue responded with a distasteful sigh, "I need to be a Trainer."

"Oh, wonderful!" Professor Oak trilled, "You're going through with your journey after all! I remember when you first started working to be a Trainer—"

"Don't get excited, Professor!" the Rogue stopped him, "This is temporary. As soon as Kaine is behind bars where he belongs, I'm through with Training. It'll just be Zubat and me, solving crimes again. No battling. No badges. No tournaments. Am I clear?"

Professor Oak's eyes widened in surprise, but he relented, "Very well, then. On your way, I suppose you'll need a Pokédex. Would you like one?"

"No, thanks, Professor," the Rogue responded, "I have something that works just as well, if not better." He then pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and showed it to the Professor. "This is the PokéCell, a device of my own design. It makes calls, but it also carries maps, makes transfers with PC machines in any Pokémon Center, accesses my investigative files, and shows me the height, weight, biological information and battle statistics of any Pokémon I scan with it. This tool has saved me more times than I care to count."

"Oh, I see," the professor said, suddenly intrigued by the Rogue's invention, "Quite the remarkable little machine! You must let me examine it sometime!"

The Rogue pocketed the PokéCell and hurried out the door, Zubat close behind him, "Sorry, Professor, no time! I only have one month to do this, and I won't get a second chance!"

"But detective!" Professor Oak stopped him one last time, "Shouldn't you pick out a Starter Pokémon to go with you?"

"No worries!" the Rogue answered on his way out, "Zubat's with me, so I've got one already!" The Rogue then made his way out of the Oak Laboratory and quickly mounted his motorcycle, when an idea suddenly struck him. He turned to Zubat, who flapped energetically in the air next to him, and said, "Make that two."

The Rogue made it back to the Viridian City Pokémon Center in record time. The Rogue raced into the Center and scanned the area for Nurse Joy, seeing her interacting with two Chansey nurses who were bickering for some reason. Joy managed to settle their argument and send them off before the Rogue approached her.

Nurse Joy saw him coming, and blushed, "Oh, Mr. Rogue!" She dusted off the front of her short, pink dress and straightened her nurse's cap as the Rogue approached, "Um, is there anything else I can do?"

"Actually, there is," the Rogue said calmly, "You can deliver Charmander safely into my care."

Nurse Joy beamed, "Really? Oh, Mr. Rogue, I knew you'd never abandon a Pokémon!" She then trotted quickly to her desk and reached behind it, taking the PokéBall containing Charmander. She trotted quickly back and placed the ball into the detective's hand. "Nice and safe," she sighed contentedly.

"Thank you, Joy," said the Rogue as he observed the ball carefully, "And now, I must leave. I'm on an important case, and time is of the essence." With that, the Rogue turned and raced back out of the Center, Zubat flying swiftly behind him.

"Good luck, Mr. Rogue!" Nurse Joy called after them, "Hurry back!"

The Rogue stopped just outside the door, making Zubat rest on his shoulder. It had occurred to him that acclimatizing to this new change would be appropriate. He took the PokéBall he was just given, and sprang it open with a metallic PANG! In a flash of white light, Charmander appeared, face and tail both aglow with glee.

"Okay, listen up, you," the Rogue said sternly, "I'm not about to say that our time together will be enjoyable. I'm not a Trainer, and I don't expect to be treated like one. But, I'll still need help with this case, and I'll need a full team of Pokémon to solve it. This means you and I will have to work together. Agreed?"

"Char!" the Lizard Pokémon cooed happily and jumped onto the Rogue, hugging him tightly. Zubat, in the excitement, returned Charmander's embrace with a happy squeal.

The Rogue sighed exasperatedly, "Okay, first rule: don't hug me."


	3. 3 - Picking Up Steam

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#3: Picking Up Steam

Having prepared for every possible situation on this new case, the Rogue was now on his way to the nearest Pokémon Gym, which was the Viridian City Gym in his own hometown. His determination was steel; armed with his partner, Zubat, and his mother's Charmander in a PokéBall he kept in his duster, he was dead-set on unraveling the plot of this terrorist who called himself Kaine, stop him, and put him behind bars where he belonged. The Rogue knew that this called for drastic action; if he was to gain entrance to the League Tournament before Kaine's attack, getting the badges quickly would be no easy task. If he could skip the battle part and impose his authority to gain badges temporarily, he might have a chance to gain them all in time.

No Trainer had ever gained all eight badges in only a month.

The Rogue's thoughts dissolved as he stopped in front of the newly redesigned Viridian City Gym. The Rogue had heard stories of a Trainer that had busted the former Gym Leader for illegal activities. This had occurred many years before the Rogue became a detective, and since then, the Gym had been through many Leaders, many themes, and many designs. Not being a fan of the exploits of Pokémon Trainers, the Rogue was not aware of the most recent change in Gym leadership. Nevertheless, the detective knew that time was of the essence, and if he played his cards right, battle might not have been necessary.

The Rogue stopped his bike at the front door of the Gym. Dismounting, he felt Zubat gently land on his shoulder, chittering calmly. The Rogue took this as a sign of readiness, and proceeded to open the door and step inside. The inside of the Gym was spacious, yet somewhat plain. The only decoration in the room was paint; one side of the Gym was painted bright red, while the other was colored an ocean blue, giving off a 3-D effect as the Rogue walked down the middle, where the two colors converged. Ahead, there was a large, raised section, bathed in darkness, that seemed to have a person on it, revealed by a solitary torch that stood low right next to him. Intrigued, the Rogue stepped before the platform, and was startled by the sudden activation of the overhead lights. The lights revealed a young man, no older than fifteen, standing regally on the platform. A Charmander, similar to the Rogue's, stood on the platform next to him, its face and tail aglow with determination.

"Welcome to my Gym, challenger!" the young man called out, "My name is Dontae. I trust you've come here for your EarthBadge? Approach and battle, and I'll determine if you're worthy."

Cutting right to the chase, the Rogue answered the Gym Leader's challenge, "So you're the Gym Leader. My apologies for my bluntness, but I'm on a very important case, and I require the eight badges of Kanto to complete it. If it's all the same to you, I'll just take the badge now, and be on my way."

The young Gym Leader, Dontae, stared back at the Rogue with a look of surprised skepticism, as if he was shocked that a challenger would dare say such a thing. "I'm sorry, friend," he said blankly, but with a hint of irritation, "that's not how it works around here. I lead the Gym, you challenge me to a battle, and if, _and only if_, you win, you receive the badge. If you want it, you'll have to earn it."

"Listen, _friend_," the detective countered with equal distaste, "You are impeding my investigation. Either hand over the badge, or I can have you brought up on charges of obstruction of justice. The Indigo Plateau is in deep peril, and if I don't get there with eight badges in one month, it will be too late to help anyone!"

"All eight badges in one month?" Dontae answered incredulously, "Impossible! Unless you have the other seven right now, you won't get to the League Tournament, and everyone knows that this is the final Gym in the region."

"This was the closest Gym, so I came here first," the Rogue explained, trying to keep his temper in check, "Now I don't have time for this! Hand over the badge! The fate of the Plateau depends on me!"

Dontae gave an exasperated sigh, "What is going on at the Plateau? Does it have to do with the Tournament?"

"Give me the badge, and I'll explain!"

"Defeat me, and you'll _get_ the badge!"

The Rogue held back a growl of frustration, "Fine! But I won't be held responsible if I get to the Plateau too late!"

Dontae nodded, a determined grin on his face, when the Charmander standing next to him stepped forward, growling and glaring at the Rogue, ready for battle.

The Rogue backed up several steps, allowing room for the battle, when Zubat took off, flapping madly and screeching, equally ready for battle.

"Hold it, buddy!" the Rogue called out, "You've got much more experience. I'll have to save you for last. Wait until the end of the battle, all right?"

Zubat turned around, squealed in despair, and flew to a nearby corner and roosted upside-down, grumbling faintly.

Dontae's face seemed to be slightly lit with realization, "So, it's true. The detective is training Pokémon, after all."

"Don't start with me," the Rogue warned, "You wanted a battle, you've got it. That's all." The Rogue then reached into the inside of his duster and produced his own Charmander's PokéBall. Enlarging and opening it, the PANG sound and flash of white produced a Charmander from inside. It saw Dontae's Charmander, and stared daggers at it, baring its claws and intensifying the fire on the tip of its tail.

Dontae observed the opposing Pokémon and smiled, "Your Charmander is eager, but obviously low on experience. You probably should have started with your Zubat, Rogue."

The Rogue started the battle quickly, "Charmander, Growl!" Charmander obeyed, and growled fiercely, as visible sound waves drifted through the air and struck Dontae's Charmander. It looked shaken, but otherwise ready.

"Clever," Dontae pointed out, "Weaken my strategies beforehand. Charmander, strike back with Leer!" Dontae's Lizard Pokémon looked directly at its opponent, and its eyes glowed an eerie yellow, projecting a light onto the Rogue's Pokémon. Exposed to the brightness, the Rogue's Charmander stumbled backwards, rubbing its eyes.

The Rogue growled, knowing that no progress would be made at this point, "All right, Charmander. Follow up with Ember!" Charmander followed orders, took a breath, and blew a fiery flurry at its foe.

"Flamethrower, Charmander!" Dontae countered, and his Charmander took an even deeper breath, blowing a scorching stream of fire at the other Pokémon. Both Pokémon were stricken by the searing moves, but Dontae's Charmander seemed far steadier. Flamethrower took its toll on the Rogue's Charmander, making it seem weak and dizzy.

"Charmander, Smokescreen, then follow up with Scratch!" the Rogue called. His Charmander then took another breath, but instead of exhaling fire, it blew out a thick, murky cloud of black smoke from its nostrils, filling the entire Gym. The Rogue dropped down to one knee instinctively, and saw Dontae lifting his shirt collar over his mouth.

Through a series of coughs, Dontae made his next command, "Charmander, another Flamethrower!" Dontae's Charmander released another stream of red-hot fire that cut straight through the smoke. It missed, and without warning, its foe struck true with Scratch, landing the move directly on the chest.

The Rogue smiled confidently, but Dontae seemed irked, "Don't take that from an opponent, old friend! Show him what a real Fire-type is capable of! Slash attack!" Charmander raced forward, baring the claws on its right paw, which had suddenly lengthened dramatically. The Rogue's Charmander made an attempt to dive back into its smoke cloud, but was too late; longer claws meant longer reach, and the Rogue's Charmander was thrown back by the strength of the attack.

The Rogue studied the situation, and thought hard for a solution. Dontae's Charmander did indeed have more experience, but the Rogue insisted on pacing himself. He resolved to do as much damage to his foe's Fire-type as possible before his own lost the battle. "One last Scratch attack, Charmander!" the Rogue commanded, "Don't give up!" Charmander nodded assertively, and raced toward its enemy again, claws at the ready. Dontae did not speak, and so, his own Charmander did not move. The two reptilian Pokémon converged, and the Scratch attack struck again.

That was when Dontae made his move, "Dragon Rage!"

The Gym Leader's Pokémon recovered quickly, took another deep breath, and released another blast of fire. However, instead of a red stream, it erupted as a blue burst of an inferno, catching the Rogue's Charmander in a circle of blue fire. "CHAHHHH!" Charmander screeched in pain as the Dragon Rage burned into it. After a few seconds, the fire went away, and Charmander stood, charred and exhausted. It seemed as though it had all it could stand, and slowly wobbled back and forth until it finally collapsed, fainted.

"And that makes one," Dontae called zealously, "But I can already tell that you are no rookie Trainer. How long have you been doing this, I wonder, Detective?"

The Rogue did not answer, extending the PokéBall in his hand toward Charmander. The spherical device emitted a laser-like red beam at Charmander, transforming it into the same laser-light material, retracting and absorbing Charmander back into the ball. After minimizing the ball and putting it back into his coat, the detective placed two fingers in his mouth and whistled. At this, Zubat fell from its roost in the corner, flapped eagerly toward the Rogue, and entered the battlefield, screeching in determination.

"Charmander, take a breather!" Dontae called. Charmander, panting slightly, jumped back onto Dontae's platform, waiting to be called out again if needed.

The Rogue saw Dontae's strategy quickly. He was pacing himself, too. In what direction he would take this strategy, and with what Pokémon, the Rogue did not know, but had an idea. The design of the Gym suggested that Dontae was a master of two different types: red was obviously for Fire, so blue must have been for Water. Whether this conclusion was correct, the Rogue would have to see. "Well?" he called to the young Gym Leader, "Make your move!"

Dontae smiled, produced a PokéBall from his belt and gave it a mighty throw into the air, summoning his next Pokémon with a loud PANG! In a flash of white light, another small Pokémon appeared, but was quite different from Charmander. It, too, was reptilian, but was colored light blue, and heavily resembled a turtle. It had a large brown shell, cream-colored in front, and had a long tail shaped like that of a squirrel. It opened its mouth and spoke eagerly, "Squirtle! Squirtle!" in a high-pitched, yet raggedy voice.

The Rogue's suspicions were correct. This was a Squirtle, the second of the Kanto region's three Starter Pokémon, and most definitely a Water-type. Prepared this time, the Rogue produced his PokéCell from his jacket pocket, opened the rotating screen, and scanned the Gym Leader's Squirtle, instantly learning the Tiny Turtle Pokémon's height, weight, moveset, and battle statistics.

"Filing a report, are we, Detective?" Dontae spoke up, "The first move is yours!"

The Rogue growled at the boy's boldness, but calmed his nerves, determined to avoid mistakes this time around. "Zubat, begin with Wing Attack!" Zubat began the battle, diving from the air and extending its wings, ready to strike.

"Squirtle, Withdraw!" Dontae countered, and the Water-type sucked its head, arms and legs into its shell, leaving a husk in its place when Zubat's wings struck. The shell flew backwards, but Squirtle's head and limbs emerged in time for it to land on its feet, barely hurt by the Bat Pokémon's attack. "Squirtle!" the blue creature cawed audaciously as Zubat screeched in frustration.

"Fight back with Bite, Zubat!" the Rogue ordered, and Zubat swooped in, baring its fangs and chirping madly.

"Bite it back, Squirtle!" Dontae repeated, and Squirtle rushed its foe, opening its mouth wide. The two Pokémon's attacks collided; Zubat bit Squirtle's tail, and Squirtle bit Zubat's left wing. Both Pokémon groaned in pain and pushed off of each other. They seemed even in endurance now.

_Think, cop, think!_ the Rogue thought eagerly, then went in a different direction with his strategy, "Supersonic!" He crouched to one knee beforehand, covering his ears with his hands as Zubat screamed deafeningly.

"Oh, no you don't!" Dontae called out, "Rapid Spin, Squirtle!" The terrapin Pokémon obeyed, pulling its body into its shell once again. This time, though, the shell bounced up and spun blindingly fast, nicking Squirtle in its right wing and making Supersonic miss its target.

"Fine!" the Rogue barked, "You wanna play hardball? Zubat, Confuse Ray!" Zubat turned, steadied itself in the air, and projected a blinding white light at Squirtle, which had just landed after reemerging from its shell. It could not avoid the beam, and was stricken with the befuddling light.

"No!" Dontae called, "Shake it off, Squirtle! Try a Water Gun!" The Water-type attempted to aim, but could not stay steady. It wavered, then tripped, tumbling forward and landing on its back, helpless and damaged by its own stupefaction.

"Bingo!" the Rogue celebrated, "Now move in with Bite!" Zubat swooped in, sinking its teeth into the top of Squirtle's head. Squirtle jumped up, squealed in pain, and covered its eyes with its paws; it had Flinched.

"Quickly! Wing Attack for the finish!" the detective called out, seizing the opportunity. Zubat flew swiftly, wings spread.

"Hurry, Squirtle!" Dontae called desperately, "Use Withdraw!" Squirtle then tried to turn as it hid, but tripped again, hurting itself once more. With a great sweeping blow, Zubat struck Squirtle with its wings, making it fly through the air and land hard, knocking out the Tiny Turtle Pokémon.

Dontae aimed the ball at Squirtle, returning it in a flash of red laser-light. His expression was stone, but he seemed to have a trace of remorse behind it. He turned to his Charmander and nodded, and the lizard-like creature triumphantly stepped forward, its tail-torch burning brighter than ever.

_All right,_ the Rogue thought, _its one-for-one now. If I lose Zubat, I may as well pack it in. But I can't lose here! People are depending on me! If I let Dontae win, I let Kaine win, and I _won't_ let that happen!_ Zubat flapped in midair, waiting for its next order, and the two enemy Pokémon stared daggers at one another for several seconds.

The tension at its peak, Dontae made the first move, "Charmander, use Flamethrower!" Charmander obeyed, and released another stream of powerful fire.

"Zubat, Confuse Ray!" the Rogue countered, and Zubat projected another blinding light from its mouth. The light struck and stupefied Charmander, but the searing flames torched Zubat, knocking it out of the sky. Zubat landed on the ground, its right wing charred and glowing like hot coals with the effects of a Burn.

"Follow up, Charmander! Use Slash!" Dontae commanded, but the Fire-type could not. It tripped and fell flat on its face, hurt by its Confusion just as Squirtle had been.

Quickly taking advantage, the Rogue made his move, "Zubat, Bite it, now!" Zubat swooped and struck, biting Charmander's left arm. The lizard-like creature whined in pain, but shook it off easily a second later. The Rogue saw why; the Burn wound on Zubat's wing intensified in brightness, signifying that it had been damaged by the wound.

This time, it was Dontae who took the advantage, "Charmander, Dragon Rage!" Charmander inhaled, and blasted the bluish flames again.

"Zubat, Wing Attack!" the Rogue quickly countered, and Zubat rushed, flying bravely into the heart of the blue flames that licked at it and striking Charmander head-on. Both Pokémon took major damage, and when the smoke cleared, they both stood at attention, ready to move when ordered.

"We need to finish this," Dontae sighed, "Flamethrower!" Charmander prepared to attack, but its confusion overtook it again; it wavered, then collapsed. At the same time, the Burn that Zubat suffered consumed the last of its stamina, and it fell from the air, defeated. Both Pokémon did not move.

"A draw?" Dontae yelled, dumbstruck, "A draw? How the hell did that happen?!"

The Rogue assumed from Dontae's reaction that Charmander and Squirtle were his only two Pokémon, otherwise, he would be celebrating a victory. Without a word, the Rogue walked over to the spot where his Zubat fell, and picked it up, holding it gently and wrapping it in the folds of his duster. It and his Charmander would both need medical attention, and quickly, but the Rogue had other things on his mind. If he could not defeat the Gym Leader of his own hometown, he had no chance in obtaining all eight badges at all, much less in one month. Still holding his Zubat, he lowered his head, unable to think of what to do next.

Dontae then approached the Rogue, holding his Charmander in his arms. "You show great battling aptitude," he said calmly, having regained composure, "You make excellent decisions, and you quite obviously care for your Pokémon. But you hate Pokémon training. Why is that, Detective?"

The Rogue gave Dontae a glowering look, "I don't have time to explain anything. I need to heal my partners and get to the next Gym. If I don't get those badges in one month, everyone at the Plateau is doomed."

Dontae resumed his questioning glance, "What is going on at the Plateau? I am a commissioned member of the Pokémon League, so if there's anything happening, you can trust me with it."

The Rogue sighed, weary with all the day's events, then finally explained, "Earlier today, Professor Oak received a message that a madman is prepared to implode the Indigo Plateau during the Pokémon League tournament. Unless I enter the tournament incognito and stop him then, his plan will come full circle, and the lives of Trainers and Pokémon will be destroyed." With another sigh, the somber detective turned and walked toward the door of the Gym, "I need to work harder than ever to stop him."

Only a few steps away from the door, the Rogue froze when he heard Dontae's voice, "Is it really that bad?"

The Rogue nodded, not turning or moving. He felt Zubat stirring in his arms, and his sense of urgency increased.

He heard Dontae sigh as well, "You'll need some help. The Plateau was kind enough to give me the Gym Leader job I've been working hard for. For that reason alone, I need to repay them."

The Rogue shook his head, "Sorry, kid, but I work alone. I don't need any help. Not human help, anyway."

Dontae had appeared next to him at this time, carrying his battle-weakened Charmander in his arms similarly to how the Rogue held his own Zubat, "Well, I'll be following you anyway, because you'll have the best bet of finding this nutcase. If you leave me here, I'll find you. I know this region like the back of my hand. If you want to stop me, book me, but you're getting my help, no matter what you do."

The Rogue lowered his head, eyes closed and unable to argue any further. It seemed like his case was getting more and more warped by the minute. Finally, the Rogue replied to Dontae's offer, "I can't stop you. But if you want to come with me, you'll have to do exactly what I say. If things get too dangerous, run. If your life is on the line, run. If you can reach the police, get backup immediately. And remember, this is not a game. Kaine is a dangerous criminal, and is not to be trifled with. Any attempt to find him ahead of schedule will put the Plateau at greater risk. We stick to the plan: all eight badges in a month, sneak into the tournament, and catch Kaine in the act. Understood?"

Dontae nodded, "You got it. You can depend on me, Detective. Any Trainer with enough guts to stand up to this Kaine guy is a friend in my book."

The Rogue rolled his eyes and turned back toward the door, "Whatever. First thing we do, we go to the Pokémon Center and heal up our teams. We leave for Pewter City immediately afterwards." The Rogue then exited the Gym, and Dontae followed him, both carrying their injured Pokémon with them.

"Oh, and one more thing," the Rogue added as they left for the Pokémon Center. Dontae turned his attention to the detective, and the Rogue continued sternly, "Don't call me a Trainer. I am not a Trainer."


	4. 4 - A Shocking Development

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#4: A Shocking Development

Faced with an even more strange twist in this case, the Rogue was now unwillingly incorporating a partner into his travels. Even though he had gotten an explanation, the detective wasn't quite sure why Dontae, the young Gym Leader of Viridian City, would want to accompany him on his unusual quest. In any case, the Rogue was still undeterred. Kaine had to be stopped, and even though the Rogue wasn't used to working alone, he figured that another traveler in his case meant double the chances of apprehending Kaine before the Indigo Plateau suffered the wrath of the most dangerous criminal mind since Giovanni.

"You know, Detective," Dontae interrupted the Rogue's thoughts as the duo made their way through the Viridian Forest, "The longer I'm around you, the more interested I am in figuring you out. You say you don't like Trainers, and yet your skills rival that of a Gym Leader. You're collecting Gym Badges, and yet you're only entering the League on an important case. Clearly, there's more to you than most people would know."

"I don't have time for Twenty Questions," the Rogue frowned as he pushed his motorcycle through the grass, "Walking through this place is throwing me off schedule as it is. Why is it so important that we can't just ride straight through? We'd be able to reach Pewter City in less than an hour."

Dontae sighed, sounding aggravated, "I told you already: motorized vehicles might scare the local Pokémon. Besides, you're motorcycle is pretty big, and you might run over something."

The Rogue scowled, but remained silent. It did no good to argue at this point. As much as he disliked Trainers, he knew that Pokémon were completely innocent, and the last thing he wanted was to hurt one of them just to stay on schedule.

Zubat, who was resting comfortably in the sidecar, chattered contentedly. Dontae's Charmander sat next to it, trying to keep its tail from burning anything important

"Speaking of Pokémon," Dontae chimed in again, "I hope you're not planning on entering the League with only two Pokémon. Trainers are allowed to carry up to six at a time, you know."

"I know that!" the Rogue snapped, "If I see a Pokémon I want, I'll catch it! Frankly, I don't like keeping Pokémon in these disgraceful devices anyway."

Dontae shrugged, "All right, but the Gym Leader in Pewter City is a Rock-type specialist. The Pokémon you have with you won't be enough to even scratch his team."

Aggravation getting to him as well, the Rogue replied harshly, "Fine! You want more Pokémon, you got them!" He then scanned the area in front of him, carefully scrutinized the grass, and saw a twitching weed. Something was moving underneath.

Carefully, the Rogue approached the twitching spot, picked up a nearby rock, and rolled it gently into the spot where the grass moved. A split-second later, out crawled a small, brown, worm-like creature with small, beady eyes, chittering and waving the large needle on its head angrily.

"Okay, then. More team members, it is," the Rogue muttered as he produced Charmander's PokéBall from inside his duster. PANG! The Lizard Pokémon appeared in a flash of light. It saw its new opponent, and the flame on its tail burned intensely as it stared menacingly at it.

"Charmander, Scratch that Weedle!" the Rogue commanded. Charmander obeyed, and lunged forward. Only instead of a normal scratch, Charmander's claws seemed to lengthen, and were coated with a metallic sheen. The Fire-type slashed, and Weedle flew, blown backwards from the force of this new attack.

"Whoa," Dontae said, clearly impressed by Charmander's display, "That's Metal Claw. That will certainly help you against Brock."

The Rogue wasn't paying attention to Dontae's praise. He merely produced another PokéBall, aimed, and threw, taking advantage of Weedle's incapacitation. A split-second before the Ball connected with the Bug-type, it split open, and a white light from inside swallowed Weedle, shrunk it, and sucked it into the rapidly closing Ball. The PokéBall fell to the ground where Weedle used to be, still projecting the white light from inside and making the Ball glow. The Ball shook once, signifying that Weedle was attempting to escape. It shook again; clearly, the poisonous creature was not giving up. It shook a third time, more insistently than before. Finally, though, the glow inside subsided, and the PokéBall was still. Weedle was captured.

After returning Charmander to its own Ball, the Rogue walked over to pick up the PokéBall containing his new Weedle, when he heard Dontae again, "Well, that solves the problem of the gaps in your team. However, you should know that Rock-types—"

"Rocks are resistant to Bugs, I know!" the Rogue barked, "But there's nothing in this forest but Bugs and Birds, so if you have any better options, I'd like to hear them!"

Dontae shrugged, and glanced at the detective, then changed his vision for a moment. As his eyes wandered toward the Rogue's leg, he muttered with a grin on his face, "You have a visitor."

The Rogue looked questioningly at Dontae, then began to feel something on his leg, as if something small was gripping it. He looked down, and surely enough, there it was: a small, yellow rodent with bright red cheeks was hugging his leg. The small creature looked up at the Rogue, smiled at him widely, and cheeped out adorably, "Pikachu!"

The Rogue was not pleased, "Get this thing off me!" He stood on the other leg and shook, intending to do away with the Mouse Pokémon quickly. Pikachu held fast, though, and elated sparks flew from its cheeks as the irate detective shook harder and harder.

Dontae was enjoying the scene. "You know, you surprise me, Detective," he said, maintaining his grin, "Every time you are approached with friendliness, you freak out and turn away. Are you deliberately misanthropic, or are you just used to working alone?"

The Rogue growled in frustration, "Look, I don't need another cling-on in this case. The last thing I need is more annoyances getting in my way."

"So catch it, then!" Dontae contested, "It won't help you against Brock, but Electric-types are pretty tough."

The Rogue shook his head, "I'm done capturing for today. If this thing wants to go with me, it'll have to wait until tomorrow. That is, if I'm still here!" He then lifted his seized leg, gripped the Pikachu by the scruff of the neck, and pried it off his leg. "Look, little friend," he said patiently to the rodent-like Pokémon, raising it to eye-level, "I don't have time for games. I'm afraid this is where we must part ways."

Pikachu had a look of confused upset on its face. "Pika, pika?" it squeaked, widening its eyes and twitching its tiny nose.

"Don't give me that look," the Rogue said warningly, "Stop trying to appeal to me. Now run along, and don't bother me." He then placed the Pikachu down gently and nudged it away, urging it to walk in the other direction. It did not; it stayed right where it was, still boring its lovable eyes into the Rogue, as if expecting him to love it back.

The Rogue sighed and stared back at the Electric-type, "You're not going anywhere, are you?"

Pikachu bent down and scratched the side of its face with its hind paw, then looked back up with another excited squeal of, "Pikachu!"

Unwilling to be swayed by Pikachu's cuteness, the Rogue turned back to his motorcycle and resumed pushing it, "All right, misfits, let's get moving. I want to get in as much progress as possible before sundown."

Dontae stopped the detective with his words, "I'm afraid we're too late for that. It's already eight-thirty."

The Rogue glanced up at the sky; the trees were crowding the sky so much that the Rogue could barely closed his eyes, cursed under his breath, and thought the situation through. "All right," he said when he was finished, "Let's find a clearing and get some rest here. We'll need to get an early start if we're going to get to Pewter City soon."

Dontae shrugged again and agreed, "Sounds good to me. Charmander, help me find some firewood."

Dontae's Charmander jumped suddenly out of the sidecar, eager to assist its Trainer. This dislodged the sleeping Zubat, irritating the Bat Pokémon and causing it to screech angrily.

The fire had burned out hours ago. Zubat was now perched on a tree just outside the clearing in the woods. The Rogue was asleep, his duster covering him like a blanket as he leaned against the motorcycle. Dontae had packed a blanket, and was asleep underneath it a few feet away. Charmander was curled up next to him, the flame on its tail minimized to match its restful state. Upon further observation, Zubat saw (or rather, heard, thanks to echolocation) the Pikachu that had been bothering its partner before, sleeping beside a bush on the other end of the clearing. Everything else seemed at ease, but Zubat remained cautious. It had to be its partner's eyes and ears as he slept; his case was monumental, and the fate of the whole Kanto region depended on him. Zubat could leave no corner unseen; everyone and everything had to be accounted for.

And something moving a few yards away meant something unaccounted for.

Stealthily, Zubat took off from its perch, using echolocation to detect the source of the movement. After only a few seconds, Zubat found the source: a lump on the forest floor, covered by the grass. Whether it was human or another Pokémon, Zubat couldn't tell, but as close as it was to its partner, the Bat Pokémon wasn't about to take chances. Whatever was in that lump would have to deal with Zubat if things got ugly.

Suddenly, the lump twitched. Zubat watched, ready to make a move, if necessary. The lump continued to writhe strangely, it emitted an eerie sigh, and bunched up, making it seem taller than it was before. It was rearing up to attack!

Instinctively, Zubat bared its fangs, took aim, and bit down hard on its attacker.

The Rogue was suddenly jarred from his sleep by the sound of a blood-curdling scream. Dontae and Charmander heard it, as well, and were scrambling to their feet and looking around wildly.

"What the hell was that?!" Dontae shouted, "What's going on here?"

The Rogue scrutinized the clearing for movement, crouched down and prepared to deploy either his Charmander or his Weedle into battle. He checked around the air for Zubat, but found that it was missing.

This was remedied when the Rogue heard screeching from a path up ahead. He looked, and saw his Zubat flapping toward him manically, sweating and shaking.

"Zubat!" the detective called out, worried about his partner, "What happened? Who screamed? Are they in trouble?"

Zubat appeared to be raving; it screeched and chattered, as if speaking a mile a minute in its own language. It then took off quite suddenly back up the path. The Rogue followed swiftly, with Dontae and his Charmander bringing up the rear.

Looking ahead, the Rogue saw a black lump on the forest floor, shrouded by the grass. It was writhing, and appeared to be moaning for some reason. Zubat was wildly gesturing to it, as if it were something dangerous. Charmander saw it, too, and brightened the flame on its tail, ready to fight.

Taking out Weedle's PokéBall and aiming it at the lump, the Rogue commanded, "All right, show yourself! Nice and easy."

The lump appeared to hear, and responded, up-righting itself. When the Rogue caught full view, he lowered his PokéBall. It was a girl; a teenage girl, older than Dontae, but younger than the Rogue, with long, blond hair and a frightened, uncomfortable expression on her face. When she stood, she let her sleeping bag (which appeared to have four small holes in it) tumble to the ground around her feet; she was wearing a white T-shirt and a short, pink pleated skirt.

She was clearly jittery at this sudden intrusion, "Wh-what's going on here? Who are you? Why did that Zubat attack me?"

At a loss for an explanation, the Rogue merely replied, "You must have been the one screaming. What do you mean, my Zubat attacked you?"

"It bit me!" the girl responded, "I was asleep in the grass here, and it bit me."

Dontae then asked confusedly, "Where?"

The girl then put her hands very low behind her back, "You don't wanna know."

The Rogue sighed, stuck out his arm for his Zubat to perch, and offered, "My apologies. My partner here is very cautious. Do you need medical attention?"

"No!" the girl replied, nervous all of the sudden, "I'm . . . I'm fine."

"Good," the Rogue replied, satisfied that everything had been sufficiently explained, "Dontae, now that we're up, I suppose we'd better get moving again. We can probably make Pewter City before dawn."

"I don't know, Detective," Dontae stalled, seeming enthralled by the young woman's presence, "Don't you think we ought to stick around, just for a follow-up?" He then gave a subtle wink to the girl, smiling smoothly, but she didn't seem to notice.

"There's no time for that, Dontae!" the detective was insistent, "The sooner we reach Pewter City, the sooner I can get to the Gym in the morning! Now let's go!" The Rogue then turned and walked back to the clearing, Zubat chirping guiltily on his shoulder.

"Wait!" the blond girl ran to stop the Rogue, putting her hand on his shoulder, "Did I hear that you were a detective?"

Intrigued by this sudden stop, the Rogue turned and nodded wordlessly.

"Oh, thank goodness!" the girl replied, then turned to Dontae, "And you're the Viridian City Gym Leader, aren't you?"

"Well . . ." Dontae answered sheepishly, "Kinda unofficially, right now. I'm only there to watch the Gym until my application gets through at the Pokémon League. Until I get it back, they kinda don't let me battle."

"What?!" the Rogue suddenly rounded on Dontae angrily, "You told me you were authorized to give out the EarthBadge! You mean I had to go through that ridiculous battle for nothing?" After a few seconds, though, the Rogue turned back to the concerned face of the blond girl, and settled his emotions. "Please, continue," he said calmly.

The blond girl continued, "I've been looking for someone to help me. My father is in danger, and I need someone to help us. Please say you'll take my case!"

The Rogue lowered his head with a heavy sigh, "I'm sorry, miss, but I'm afraid I have other pressing matters to attend to. My current case calls for my undivided attention."

"Please, Detective!" the girl insisted, "If you don't help my father, then Kaine will find him!"

The Rogue froze, heart beating fast and eyes widening. "Kaine?" he asked, "You know Kaine?"

The girl nodded, her eyes shining with tears and her arms crossed, gently holding her shoulders. "My name is Stacy," she said, "and my father was a lead scientist at the Silph Company in Saffron City. When his new invention started getting advertised, he started getting letters from a criminal named Kaine. He said that if he didn't give him his invention and all his schematics for it, he would come after us. Daddy told me that our best chance to stay hidden from him was to split up and stay hidden. I tried to get out, but I didn't want to leave Daddy, in case Kaine was still after him. I've been trying to stay out of his sights for the last two weeks. Please, tell me you'll help Daddy and me!"

Dontae, serious this time around, muttered to the Rogue, "Hey, isn't Kaine the guy you're after? The one who's gonna attack the Pokémon League?"

The Rogue nodded. Apparently, this Kaine wasn't just a terrorist. However, this meant much more than just tacking on the charges of attempted theft, stalking and malicious intimidation once Kaine was captured. This girl was in danger, and she needed protection.

"Listen," the Rogue proposed, "This Kaine guy is involved in my case. Quite a bit, as a matter of fact. Since I'm already making an attempt to catch him, I think you'd be safer tagging along with us. We can protect you if Kaine finds us, and once we find him, he's as good as behind bars."

Stacy appeared apprehensive, "You're going after him? B-But how? Kaine is everywhere and nowhere at the same time!"

"I'll explain on the way to Pewter City," the Rogue replied, "Right now, we should—" he was cut off by the caw overhead. All three humans and both Pokémon looked up to see a small bird flapping its wings and blowing sand at them from above. It had white plumage, with brown on top, and black skin around its eyes.

"A Pidgey?" Dontae called out above the blast of sand, "How is a Pidgey attacking us? Pidgey don't do that!"

Instinctively, the Rogue pulled a PokéBall from his coat and opened it; with a PANG, and a flash of white light, Weedle appeared, stabbing the air with its horn.

"Damn!" the Rogue growled, "I meant to send out Charmander!" Weedle didn't seem to mind the slip-up, and was all too eager to battle. Aiming carefully, it suddenly launched a flurry of small needles from the tip of its horn, each one searing with poison. The Poison Sting landed, and Pidgey tumbled to the ground, a purple cloud appearing from its mouth each time it exhaled. It had been Poisoned.

Pidgey recovered and quickly dove at Weedle for a Tackle attack. The Poison, however, seemed to make its insides ache, and its aim was compromised. Weedle effortlessly dodged the attack, poised to strike again.

"Whoa!" Dontae applauded, "That's impressive! A freshly-caught Weedle holding its own against a Flying-type!"

The Rogue's battle instincts went active again, "Weedle, another Poison Sting!"

The poisonous worm obeyed, aiming another flurry of poisonous needles at the birdlike attacker. This attack struck Pidgey harder than before, and brought the Tiny Bird Pokémon back to the ground. Pidgey attempted to pick itself up, but it exhaled another purple cloud; the Poison was getting to it, and the Flying-type finally collapsed. Without another move, Pidgey shuffled off into a set of bushes, obviously set on recovering from the battle.

"Amazing!" Stacy cheered, "I knew it was a good idea to stay with you guys! A strong Trainer is just what I need right now!'

"Actually, I'm not a Trainer," the detective answered, "I have to do this Pokémon League thing in order to—" the Rogue was cut off by a sudden glow coming from the ground. He turned quickly, and had to shield his eyes; the glow was emanating from his Weedle. It was coated in a bright white light, similar to the kind of light a PokéBall emitted when opened. Then, without warning, its form began to change; slowly at first, reverting quickly to its first, worm-like shape quickly, then switching back and forth over and over again. The form switch sped up, going faster and faster until both forms could hardly be seen behind the blur of speed. Finally, the bright light exploded into a burst of sparkles, and faded, revealing that, where Weedle once stood, there was now a larger, cocoon-like creature in its stead. It was yellow and had wicked black eyes, and stood staunchly still, as if waiting for something. The one thing that remained from the transformation was the look in its eyes; it was the same look of hunger for battle that Weedle had, before its evolution.

"Whoa," Dontae said again, "Congratulations, Detective. Your Weedle just evolved into Kakuna!"

"Cool!" Stacy added, "For a guy who says he's not a Trainer, you're really skilled! I'm not a Trainer, but I know skill when I see it! How did you get to be so good?"

The Rogue remained silent. He merely lifted his PokéBall, returning Kakuna to its ball in a flash of red laser light, and placed the Ball back into his duster. Finally, after a pause of a few seconds, the Rogue said firmly, "Let's get moving. If we keep up the pace now, we can reach Pewter City before dawn. Miss Stacy, if you'll accompany us to my bike, we can pack up and proceed."

Stacy nodded, reassured, "Okay, just let me pack up my sleeping bag. I wanna get out of this scary forest as quickly as possible."

The Rogue nodded as Dontae walked to his side, hunched over so Stacy could not listen. "But, Detective," the younger one whispered, a hand cupped over one side of his mouth, "I thought you weren't picking up any more stragglers. What made you change your mind?" When the Rogue saw the ex-Gym Leader's face, he saw that it was leering suggestively at him, as if implying that the detective had hidden feelings for the young lady. The Rogue looked down at Dontae's Charmander, and saw the same look on its face.

The Rogue rolled his eyes at Dontae's implications, "She needs our help, and we're giving it to her, that's all. I made it a rule a long time ago never to fall in love with a client, and as long as you're traveling with me, you'd better make it a rule, too. Now pack up your gecko and let's move."

With that, the Rogue turned and made his way back through the path to their clearing, where their supplies and the Rogue's bike remained; Zubat stood perched quietly on the Rogue's shoulder. Dontae followed, with Charmander grumbling next to him along the way. Stacy followed soon after, hauling her backpack with her.

Pikachu was hiding under the cover of the bushes. Having been stirred awake for the same reasons as the humans, it had been very interested in what had just developed as a result of it. The tall, dark one was really developing as a Trainer, even though he didn't seem to like the idea. The funny human he was with didn't seem very interesting beyond that, but now they had a pretty, new companion. If only it could appeal to the grumpy human, things would be great! It could see it now: the friends it always wanted, helping it grow and while it helped them with their problems. Pikachu couldn't wait! All it had to do was be really nice to the grumpy human, and he would be nice in return. Maybe soon they'd let it come with them! Excitement making its cheeks spark, Pikachu followed the humans, sure not to let them see it just yet, and planning its next attempt to be their friend.


	5. 5 - A Rock-Solid Alibi

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#5: A Rock-Solid Alibi

His battle instincts active once again, the Rogue stared down a wild Rattata in a grassy field just outside the Viridian Forest. It had taken the ragtag group less than an hour to find their way out of the forest, and since finding a grassy section just beyond the trees, the Rogue had been training. Zubat was hanging upside-down in a tree, keeping an eye on its comrades. Dontae was sitting on the ground, leaning against that tree, his Charmander sitting next to him with the same look on its face that its Trainer had: boredom. Stacy, however, seemed to be regarding the detective with admiration. Clearly, she had never seen such skill before.

The Rogue, however, kept his focus. He had already had out Zubat and Charmander for a training session, and Kakuna was currently battling. The Pokémon in this area weren't that tough, but they put up enough of a fight for his team to be ready for Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader.

Rattata reared up for a Tackle attack, racing toward Kakuna with fervor.

"Kakuna, Harden!" the Rogue called out, and Kakuna's body instantly stiffened up, gaining a shiny, glazed outer coating as it did. Ratatta bounced right off, its Tackle inflicting only half its intended damage.

"Now, Poison Sting!" the Rogue followed up, and Kakuna obeyed; although it no longer possessed the horn on its head or the stinger on its tail, it still made due with its signature move. Directing the pointed bottom half of its carapace at the Rat Pokémon, it launched a flurry of poisonous needles, striking Rattata dead-center. Like the Pidgey that Weedle had fought to earn its evolution, Rattata soon began exhaling purple clouds, a sign of Poison coursing through its body. Its next Tackle attack was thrown off course, and Kakuna easily dodged. Another Poison Sting later, Rattata's strength evaporated, and it fell over, defeated. Chittering angrily to itself, Rattata picked itself up and limped away.

"Okay, I'm bored now!" Dontae barked from the tree he leaned on, "Can we go to Pewter now, or are you trying to miss your date with the terrorist?"

"He's right, Detective," Stacy concurred, "Kaine isn't going to wait any longer than the date he's given." On the way out of the forest, the Rogue and Dontae had filled her in on everything that had happened before her inclusion into the group, and she was now just as anxious to help the Rogue complete his unusual mission as the Detective and his ex-Gym Leader associate were.

The Rogue merely stood still and held up a finger, as if to stifle them until something happened. Surely enough, it did: Kakuna began to glow, just as it had when evolving the first time. The white light covered its entire body, and its shape changed from its new form to its old and back again, faster and faster until neither could be seen by the naked eye. Finally, in an explosion of glitter, the light faded, and a new Pokémon stood where Kakuna once was. This was a completely different Bug-type Pokémon altogether; it resembled a giant, bipedal wasp, complete with large, red eyes, antennae, and large, clear wings. On its forelimbs were a pair of long, deadly-looking stingers, similar, but larger than, the one on its abdomen, signifying its beelike nature.

"Good, job, Beedrill," the Rogue called out before extending Beedrill's PokéBall toward it. The Poison Bee Pokémon buzzed fiercely in a victory cry before it disappeared back into its Ball in a flash of laser light.

"Now," the Rogue resumed interaction with his human comrades, "We'd better get to the Pewter City Pokémon Center and get a few hours sleep. As much as I'd like to speed this up and get to the Plateau ahead of schedule, I have to fit months and months of training, travel and sleep into only four weeks. Therefore, we'll wake up and head to the Gym in five hours' time. Agreed?"

Zubat shrieked its agreement and flew from its perch onto the Rogue's shoulder. Stacy nodded, "Okay, Detective." Dontae merely shrugged and picked himself off the ground, his Charmander following him with the same dull look of disinterest.

After a refreshing few hours of sleep at the Pokémon Center, the Rogue, Dontae and Stacy were entering the Pewter City Gym, rested and sharp. Across the many rocks and boulders on the ground, at the other end of the Gym, a young man stood staunchly on a raised platform, similarly to the interior of the Viridian City Gym. The young man was tall, dark skinned, and had a strange facial structure that made his eyes seem tight and squinty. He seemed to see the entrants of his Gym, but did not move in any way as they walked up to the platform he stood on. Finally, after a few seconds, the Gym Leader spoke, "Welcome! I'm Brock, the Pewter City Gym Leader."

The Rogue rolled his eyes, "You Gym Leaders and your procedures. I'm sure you remember who I am, Brock."

Brock smiled and nodded, "Well, of course, Detective. You've handled a few cases in this city before, of course. I trust you're here on business?"

"Well, yes and no," the Rogue answered, "I'm here to acquire the BoulderBadge, which I am aware you are the keeper of in this city. I challenge you to a battle."

"Pardon me?" Brock questioned, his face etched with puzzlement, "The Pokémon League Tournament starts in less than a month! Don't tell me you're seriously considering entering it, you can't earn all the badges by then!"

"I have my reasons," the detective replied irritably, "and my resources. Now, if you'll kindly abide by the Pokémon League Gym Leader Regulations and accept my challenge, I can defeat you, collect my badge, and be on my way."

Brock arched an eyebrow, unconvinced, "You seem confident, Detective. I don't think I have to warn you, my rock-hard determination and willpower is evident, even in the way I train my Pokémon. Are you still willing to challenge me?"

The Rogue did not speak; he merely nodded, a look of determination on his face. Zubat, still perched on his shoulder, had the same look on its own face.

Brock smiled again, "If you insist, Detective. I suppose it's the least I can do for lending your detection skills to my city. Show me your best!"

The Rogue nodded, "I intend to!"

Brock started the battle by unhooking a PokéBall from his belt, enlarging it, and throwing it. "Go, Geodude!" the Gym Leader called.

In a flash of white light and a loud PANG!, a small Pokémon appeared on the Gym floor. It stood no less than a foot off the ground, and looked merely like a boulder with arms and a face. It grunted menacingly and slammed both fists into the ground over and over again.

The Rogue immediately brought out his PokéCell and scanned the rocklike creature, learning and memorizing the battle statistics that came up on the rotating screen. Knowing that, despite how strong it was already, Beedrill was a bad match-up for a Rock-type, and although his Charmander knew Metal Claw, that was the best move in his arsenal and he felt it should be saved, there was only one other option.

"You know," Dontae called out from behind, "If you had asked me really nicely, I could've let you borrow my Squirtle for this battle!" His Charmander stood beside him, wearing the same smirk and nodding.

"Mind your own business!" the Rogue crowed, not turning around. He then turned to his partner, "You ready for this, old friend?"

Zubat screeched, shaking with zeal and snapping its jaws, prepared to give one-hundred percent.

"All right, let's go!" the Rogue called, and Zubat flapped out to the battlefield, tensed and ready.

Brock kept up his confident grin, "Sorry, Detective, but you seem to be at a type-disadvantage. Geodude, Tackle!" Geodude obeyed, picked itself off the ground with its arms, and used them to haul itself through the air, aiming right at Zubat.

"Zubat, start off with Confuse Ray!" the Rogue commanded. Zubat answered by emitting the blinding white ray at Geodude just as it approached. The ray struck true, and Geodude wavered off the course of its attack. However, it wasn't enough; Geodude struck Zubat in the side, and it fell several feet out of the sky as Geodude landed on the rocky Gym floor with a loud POUND! Zubat straightened itself out just before hitting the ground, and took to the sky once more.

"Follow up with a Bite!" the Rogue quickly followed up. Zubat dove, baring its fangs, and sunk them into Geodude's back forcefully before it could turn around. After awhile, Geodude shook off Zubat, agitated but otherwise unharmed.

"Well," Brock muttered, "we certainly can't let that happen again," then spoke up, "Geodude, Defense Curl!" Geodude then wrapped its arms around itself, curling up into a tight ball and glowing slightly with white energy.

"Oh, great!" the Rogue growled, "Zubat, hurry and Bite it again!" Zubat raced in and bit the curled-up Geodude, harder than before. This hit looked Critical, and Geodude moaned and tossed Zubat off. It attempted to attack again, but the Confusion still lingered. It fumbled and rolled into a rock, moaning in pain again.

"Hurry, Bite it again!" the Rogue ordered, and Zubat zoomed in, Biting down hard on Geodude's head. After shaking off the Bat Pokémon again, Geodude moved to attack, but then covered its face with its hands, Flinching.

"Amazing!" Brock said as he watched his Rock Pokémon struggle to upright itself, "I've never had a battle this difficult against a Pokémon I have a type advantage against!"

"And I'm just getting warmed up," the Rogue replied with quiet confidence, "Zubat, finish it!" Zubat screeched in compliance, and dove down with its wings outstretched, striking Geodude hard. Geodude swatted the nocturnal creature away, and once more attempted to launch a Tackle attack. However, the Confusion recurred, and Geodude stumbled into a rock once again. This seemed to do it; Geodude collapsed into a heap in an attempt to get up again. Evidently, it was finished battling.

"Whoo!" the Rogue heard Stacy call from behind him, startling him slightly, "Way to go, Rogue! Keep it up!"

Dontae added to the cheer, "That was pretty cool! Maybe you got a chance to get into the League after all!"

The Rogue stayed calm. His goal wasn't to impress people, or even to enter the League. He kept his primary mission in mind: Kaine. The terrorist needed to be found, and this was the only way to find him. _And that's all_, he thought.

Brock returned his Geodude, a look of surprise evident, yet vague on his face. "Nice job, Detective," he said, "that's the first time in a long time I've had such a tough battle against a Flying-type. I didn't know you were such a brilliant Trainer."

"I don't mean to rush you, Brock," the Rogue suddenly spoke, "but I'm on an important case that requires that badge, and I must insist we end this battle now."

""Fine, then," Brock replied, a somewhat smug grin now crossing his face as he switched out Geodude's PokéBall for a different one, "but I suggest you fight hard for this one. My next Pokémon is guaranteed to rock you! Go, Onix!" Brock then threw his PokéBall, much higher than before, and the metallic PANG! sounded off. The flash of white light was far larger, though, and when the light vanished, a gargantuan Pokémon stood on the field, roaring fiercely. It was easily thirty feet long, at most, and resembled a giant serpent made of pure rock. It roared again and slammed its heavy tail on the ground, making the whole building shake.

The Rogue scanned the rocky behemoth with his PokéCell, then called out, "Stick around, Zubat! Size doesn't matter, you can still win! Start with Confuse Ray!"

Zubat screeched back, and stared down Onix with an eyeless glare, aiming its blinding white beam at Onix, stunning the Rock-type and making its head waver slightly.

"Onix, use Bind!" Brock called, and the Rock Snake Pokémon obeyed, launching its jagged tail at Zubat and wrapping it around Zubat. Unlike Geodude before it, Onix appeared to have no trouble fighting its Confusion, and wasted no time in squeezing the life out of Zubat.

"Damn! How do we get out of this?" the Rogue cursed to himself, then turned to Zubat, "Use Bite!" Zubat sunk its fangs into Onix's tail as it struggled to break free, but Onix hardly even noticed.

"Oh, no you don't!" Brock declared, "Not again! Onix, Harden!" Like the Rogue's Kakuna had before its evolution, Onix suddenly stiffened up, gaining a slick, shiny and transparent coat that seemed to fortify its defenses. Zubat only looked more helpless now.

The Rogue was now beginning to sweat, "Zubat, keep Biting!" Zubat repeatedly dug its fangs into the rock that bound it, but to no avail. Onix did not so much as Flinch.

"Onix, finish it with Rock Tomb!" Brock called out, and Onix immediately obliged. It suddenly released Zubat, then bashed its tail into the ground again. Mere seconds afterwards, a series of rock fell from, seemingly, out of nowhere, right on top of Zubat, trapping it in a prison of rubble. A small part of a wing was all that was visible, but it did not move. Zubat was defeated.

The Rogue raced onto the field and pushed the rocks off, revealing a bruised and battered Zubat underneath. The Rogue's heart was crushed with guilt, "I'm sorry, my friend. It just wasn't enough."

Zubat chattered calmly, twitching, but unable to move. The Rogue picked it up from the rubble, carried it off the field, and presented it to Dontae. "Please," the detective implored, "Keep vigil over my partner."

Dontae smirked, "What's your problem? It's not like Zubat's dying! A quick trip to the Pokémon Center, and it'll be right as rain!"

"I'm serious!" the Rogue yelled, "You guard that Zubat with your life! Is that understood?!"

Dontae was taken aback by the Rogue's sudden outburst, and nodded. The Rogue then turned and walked back to the edge of the field, taking out another ball as he walked.

"You're skills are commendable," Brock said from across the field, "And you're concern for Pokémon is evident. You're obviously a Trainer with a considerable amount of training under your belt."

The Rogue enlarged the PokéBall, muttering curtly, "I am not a Trainer." He then opened the ball with a PANG!, and in a flash, Charmander graced the battlefield, swiping its claws at the creature that was fifteen times its length and growling, "Char! Char!"

"Another type disadvantage?" Brock questioned, almost condescendingly, "If you insist. Onix, begin with Tackle!" Onix rushed forward, its frighteningly loud tread making the Gym rumble.

"Charmander, Smokescreen!" the Rogue called out, and immediately, it exhaled a large cloud of black smoke, large enough to obscure even the mighty Onix. The Rock Snake Pokémon's attack missed, and it struck the ground where Charmander once was.

"Excellent! Now, hit it with Ember!" the Rogue called, Charmander obeyed, and it launched a flurry of Embers from its mouth. The flames licked Onix's stony hide, but Onix didn't seem to feel anything.

Until the Burn set in.

Onix moaned and rubbed the Burn wound against the ground, the rocky skin glowing and resembling hot coals (more believable because of its Rock-type affinity). The rocklike leviathan groaned and scratched, but the Burn damage was done.

"Onix, don't take that lying down," Brock encouraged, "Hit it with Rock Tomb!" Onix got up, but it stumbled and fell flat, making the ground shake with its weight. The Confusion still stuck.

"Impressive," Brock mumbled, "Zubat's Confuse Ray and the Burn from Charmander's Ember are working together. Very impressive strategy."

Dontae wasn't as inspired, "Well, how come he didn't use that strategy against me?! For a brilliant detective, he's not exactly Champion material!"

"You aren't even a real Gym Leader!" Stacy barked at him, "so leave him alone and let him work!"

Brock resumed orders, "Onix, Tackle again!"`Onix charged again, roaring with fury over the Burn pain.

"Charmander, Growl!" the detective called, and Charmander answered, growling visible sound waves at the charging giant. Even though the attack seemed to bounce off, the effects were apparent: the Tackle landed, and all it did was knock Charmander back several feet.

"Now, use Metal Claw!" the Rogue called out.

"Rock Tomb, Onix!" Brock ordered simultaneously, and both Pokémon charged each other. Onix bellowed as it rumbled the ground, making rocks fall from the sky; Charmander's claws lengthened and gained a silvery sheen. Charmander sliced through the rocks with its metal-laced claws, still sustaining damage from the shrapnel, and slashed Onix's hide, making the Rock-type roar in pain again.

"A Steel-type move?" Brock was stunned, "You were prepared the whole time, weren't you?"

The Rogue merely smiled and continued, "Charmander, Metal Claw again!"

"Onix, Tackle it again!" Brock ordered in response. Onix charged, making the ground rumble, and struck Charmander head-on, before Charmander's Metal Claw could strike again and making the Steel move miss.

"Don't give up!" the Rogue called to his Charmander, "One more Metal Claw!"

Charmander nodded, and its claws lengthened again, coated in that same metallic shine. They seemed longer and more lethal-looking this time, though, and when Charmander raked Onix's side with them, it struck with much more force, and Onix roared louder in pain.

Dontae and Stacy had to cover their ears from the volume of Onix's bellowing. "What's going on?!" Stacy had to yell, "Why is Onix in so much pain?!"

"Metal Claw has a chance to increase the user's Attack strength!" Dontae yelled back, "Charmander must've gotten the boost the first time it used the move! That's why it's so much more effective now!"

Charmander landed after it executed the attack, panting and weary, but still ready to battle. Onix stopped bellowing and got up, extending its body up ten feet above the small Fire-type's head. The two combatants stared each other down, waiting for their next orders, or perhaps, waiting for the other to make a move. It stayed this way for quite some time, neither Pokémon moving an inch. Suddenly, Onix's face was alight with agony, and it began to collapse, its enormous tonnage coming down with a devastating rumble and its serpentine body coiling around the space where Charmander stood. After it landed, the Rock Snake Pokémon moaned once, and was as still as the Type it represented.

"Whoa!" Dontae muttered again, "He won. Amazing! He actually pulled it off!"

"Wow!" Stacy cheered, "Rogue, that was amazing!"

The Rogue produced Charmander's PokéBall and attempted to return Charmander, when suddenly, the reptilian creature began to glow. It was coated in a white light, and its form changed repeatedly, like the Rogue's Beedrill had done twice before. After a few seconds of metamorphosis, the glow dissipated in a burst of sparks, and Charmander's evolution was complete. It was slightly taller, its claws were longer, and it had a crest on its head, extending from the top of its forehead. The flame on its tail was bigger and burned brighter, and when it spoke, its voice was significantly deeper, almost a cross between a growl and a crackling flame, "Char!"

"Well, congratulations, Detective!" Brock called out, "Your Charmander just evolved into Charmeleon!"

The Rogue felt his feelings stir. This Charmander, bequeathed to him by his dead mother, had already evolved into a Charmeleon. His instincts were sharper than ever; he had half a team already, two of them had evolved (one of them twice), and he was already one badge towards entering the Pokémon League.

_No_, the Rogue thought to himself, _Forget it, cop. You're on a case. You have to find Kaine. And you are not a Trainer! So stop thinking like one_.

The Rogue and Brock both returned their Pokémon in a flash of laser light, and the Gym Leader stepped down from the platform, approaching the detective, "Well done, Detective. I took your skill for granted, and I lost. As proof, here is your reward," and he reached into the breast pocket of his vest, producing a small object which he handed out for the Rogue. It was small, grey, and octagonal-shaped, and glistened in the light of the Gym. "This," said Brock, "is the official Pokémon League BoulderBadge."

The Rogue reached out, took the trinket, and produced a wallet from another pocket of his duster. He pinned the badge to the inside of his wallet, re-pocketed it, and replied to Brock, "Thank you. You're a credit to my case."

All went silent as the door of the Gym banged open, and all eyes landed on the enterer. It was Officer Jenny (the one from the Pewter Police Department, nearly identical to the Rogue's colleague in Viridian), sweating and running toward the group. "Brock!" she called, out of breath, "I need to . . . speak to . . . the Rogue. Viridian PD . . . told me . . . he'd be here!"

The Rogue raised an eyebrow, "What is it, Jenny?"

"Rogue, there you are!" Jenny said, having gathered herself, "We need your help! There's been a break-in at the Pewter Museum!"

"What?" Brock replied, "How? Who could have done this?"

The Rogue cradled his forehead in his hand. "Please, don't tell me you're asking for my help," he moaned, "I'm on a very important case right now, and I can't be disturbed."

Jenny glanced between the Rogue and Brock several times, then answered skeptically, "Battling a Gym Leader? This is your big case?! We don't have time for this nonsense, the Museum's been robbed!"

The Rogue tried exasperatedly to explain, "Well, that's not— . . . it doesn't have anything— . . . well, it does, but— . . . aargh! Just take me to the scene! I'll need to go to the Pokémon Center first."

Dontae and Stacy exchanged glances as the frustrated detective swooped past, accompanying Jenny out of the Gym. "Hey, do you know what's going on here?" Stacy turned to Dontae, questioning etched in her soft features.

Dontae shrugged as he followed them out the door, "I don't know, but I think we'd better follow. Let's move."

Quickly taking refuge behind a nearby bush, Pikachu saw its human friends racing out of the big building with the pretty police lady. Where they were going, it did not know, but it did know that he had to stay with them at all costs. Pikachu ran along with them, excitedly sparking its cheeks.

The inside of the Pewter City Museum of Science was a wreck. Display cases were shattered and empty, grimy footprints were etched on the floor, and people were standing around outside the police tape, being questioned by the other officers of the Pewter Police Force. Some were confused, others were angry, but most were scared to death, and showed it.

The Rogue observed the scene, taking in everything. He scrutinized the whole crime scene, made as many observations as possible, and processed the information, all while not moving an inch. He saw everything, felt everything, and did not even so much as blink.

"So, Detective," Jenny spoke up over the din, "Care to give me your opinion?"

The Rogue eyed Jenny with a disapproving glare, irritated that she would disrupt his concentration, but silent on that detail; he was through observing anyway. "No money stolen from the till?" he asked.

Jenny replied, "Just counted. Not a dime taken."

The Rogue moved on quickly, "The second floor is the Space Exhibit, right? Anything amiss there?"

Jenny replied, almost condescendingly, "We checked the second floor, no one's been there all day."

The Rogue ignored her tone, then proceeded, "They ran off with every fossil on exhibit here, but didn't touch the money?"

"They?" Jenny asked, a clear scoff evident in her tone, "And they told me you were the best! There's only one set of footprints here, or didn't you notice?"

The Rogue sighed, approached one of the footprints, and beckoned her over as he examined it, "Whoever did this tried to hide their numbers. See how this footprint overlaps the one underneath ever so slightly? These guys walked single file, very close together."

Jenny crouched down, observed the footprints, and seemed to realize that the Rogue was right. "Well . . . well, how could that be?" she asked, trying to cover up her mistake, "That would mean that they all wore the same kind of boots! What did they do, shop at the same shoe store or something?"

"Well," the Rogue said carefully, "not exactly. They did all wear the same boots, which suggests similar attire throughout. This suggests to me, along with the stolen items and the _modus operandi_ that only one group is responsible for this robbery."

Jenny's eyes went suddenly wide, "Wait, you can't be serious!"

"I'm afraid so, Officer," the Rogue nodded with a shadowy voice, "Team Rocket has returned."


	6. 6 - A Rocket to the Moon

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#6: A Rocket to the Moon

"Team Rocket?!" Officer Jenny incredulously replied to the Rogue's theory, "That's impossible! Giovanni disbanded Team Rocket years ago! There's no way he'd reappear out of nowhere and pick up where he left off!"

"I didn't say it wasn't a crazy theory," the Rogue answered calmly, "But the evidence is overpowering. Besides, I also didn't say Giovanni was behind this. He's too smart to resurrect his organization and then make a blatantly obvious heist. Whoever it was is trying to throw us off, and if Team Rocket really is back, they're doing a damn good job of it."

Jenny was slowly paying more and more attention, "You think someone really could bring back Team Rocket besides Giovanni?"

The Rogue shrugged, "It's quite possible, and the more I look at this crime scene, the more I believe it."

At this time, the door opened once again, and Brock stepped through, followed by Dontae (Zubat sitting on his shoulder, healthy and active once again) and Stacy. Once inside, Zubat flew from Dontae's shoulder onto the Rogue's, and scrutinized the crime scene eyelessly, taking in more than anyone would know.

"Officer!" Brock called out, "Did you find out what happened here?"

Jenny replied, "It seems there was a robbery here, and according to the," she seemed to roll her eyes as she said it, "Detective, it may have been a resurfacing of Team Rocket."

"Team Rocket?" Dontae repeated, "But they disbanded, right? Their boss was the first Leader of my Gym some years back, and he went into hiding after a challenger exposed him."

"I've definitely heard about them," Stacy added, "Do you really think it was Team Rocket, Detective? I remember them, they were really scary."

"It's the best possibility," the Rogue replied, "I can't think of any other gang who would make such a mess and yet cover their tracks so meticulously."

"Well, you can go chase you're wild theories if you want to," Jenny snapped, "But I plan on finding the _actual_ criminals, and putting them to justice. If you have imaginary teams to break up, or other badges to earn, then you can go and leave the rest to us."

The Rogue stared at the loudmouthed officer bitterly, and was about to make an angry retort when the door burst open again. It was another police officer, a younger male, "Officer! We're getting reports of hooligans in black uniforms harassing Trainers out on Route 3!"

Everyone exchanged looks of sudden confusion, except for the Rogue, who eyed Officer Jenny with a raised eyebrow and held his hand out to the younger officer, as if presenting the final piece of evidence in his case.

Jenny's look of indignation was obviously not easy to hide. She rotated the waist of her miniskirt and crossed her arms, turning away as she muttered, "I still think it was a ridiculous theory."

"Ridiculous or not, this proves it!" Dontae chimed in, "Team Rocket really is back, and still up to no good!"

"And now, they're hurting people!" Stacy added, fret lining her voice and her blue eyes, "We have to help them!"

The Rogue held back a sigh, and he cradled his forehead in his hand, considering his options. This did seem like an emergency, but Kaine was not going to wait any longer than one month. Route 3 led to Mt. Moon, a cavernous region of Kanto that exited out to Cerulean City, where the next badge awaited. It may have been a slight detour, but the Rogue knew this was the best course of action: chase the thugs to Mt. Moon, catch them there, and book them in Cerulean with enough time to pick up another badge.

"I'll take care of them," the Rogue announced, "If a ten-year-old can topple Team Rocket, then so can I. Let's move out!"

The Rogue was now revving down Route 3 on his motorcycle, Stacy gripping him around the waist behind him, and Dontae and his Charmander stuffed into the sidecar together. Zubat flew at top speed at the side of the bike, its sonar covering the whole area. The Rogue studied the area, and saw almost nothing, save for the occasional wild Pokémon. The Rogue was beginning to doubt his own theory; it was a little far-fetched (no pun intended), and the thugs on the road could have been anyone.

His doubts were erased when he saw someone up the road, waving and yelling.

The Rogue hit the brake, and the bike slowed to a stop right beside the person who flagged him down. It was a girl, slightly younger than Stacy, with brown hair tied in a ponytail, and wearing a white blouse and plaid, pleated miniskirt. Her face was shaky with fear, and tightly in her hands, she held a small Pokémon. It appeared fox-like, with shiny red fur, a curly crest on its head, and six long tails drooping down. It seemed wounded; it was covered with smudges and bruises, it twitched occasionally, and it whined softly in pain.

"Please, you have to help!" the girl begged, "My Vulpix is hurt! Those bad men hurt my Vulpix!"

"Whoa, whoa, calm down," the Rogue attempted to relax her, "It's okay. We can help you, just tell us everything. What's your name, dear?"

"Janice," the girl answered, seeming like it was all she could do to keep from crying.

"Oh, it's okay, sweetie!" Stacy cooed to the younger girl, turning around and placing a hand on her shoulder, "Don't cry. Just tell us what those bad men did, and we'll help you, okay?"

Janice nodded, sniffed, and took a deep breath, "Well, I was hiking this road with my Vulpix, when these mean men ran up and tried to steal it! They were all tall, and wore black suits with big red "R"s on them, and they were carrying a bunch of bags that were full of rocks, I think."

Dontae nudged the Rogue after she said this, and he nodded. This confirmed that Team Rocket had indeed pulled the heist at the Museum.

Janice continued, "And I tried to get my Vulpix back, but they forced me to battle them, and then they beat me, and then they told me my Vulpix was useless, but then they said they'd be back, and . . . and—and, and—and . . ." but she could go on no longer. She collapsed into tears, pressing her face into the front of Stacy's blouse as she sobbed. Her Vulpix cried along with her, twitching from the pain of its injuries.

Stacy hugged the little girl and her Pokémon, "Oh, you poor thing! It's okay, honey! My friend, the Rogue will find those meanies for you! He'll make them pay for what they did to your poor little Vulpix!"

Janice picked her head up and looked at the Rogue with watery, hazel eyes, "Are . . . a—are you a policeman?"

The Rogue was thrown by her pleading stare, but gained composure, "Well, sort of. I'm helping the police find the people who robbed the Pewter Museum. Those are the same guys who attacked you. Don't worry, I'll find them."

"Please, take my Vulpix!" Janice begged, holding up the pitiful Fox Pokémon for the Rogue to take, "I don't want it to get hurt anymore, and they said they'd come back! Please, take care of it for me? Please?"

Once again, the detective was derailed at this recent turn of events. "Well, I, uh," he tried to explain in a way the young girl would understand, but could force nothing out past an awkward mumble, "well, uh . . . I, uh . . . I'm not really the one to see about, uh . . . a Pokémon Protection Program . . ."

"I'll take it," Dontae suddenly said, making everyone turn to him.

"You, Dontae?" Stacy asked, still holding the girl gently, "Why?"

"You forget," Dontae answered, "I may not be a Gym Leader yet, but I'm an expert on Fire and Water Pokémon. Vulpix will be safe with me."

The Rogue shifted his gaze from Dontae to Janice, "Is this what you want?"

Janice seemed hesitative, but did not speak. She held Vulpix out to Dontae, and he took the Fire-type into his arms. Charmander, sitting in the sidecar next to him, popped up beside the vulpine creature and began talking to it.

"Char, char, mander. Char, man, char?"

Vulpix squealed in reply, hardly able to pick up its head.

"Mander, mander, mander. Char, char mander?"

Vulpix squealed again, longer this time. It then looked up at Dontae, stared at him for a few seconds, then licked his neck affectionately.

The Lizard Pokémon looked up at its Trainer and grinned, "Char!"

Janice looked astounded, "Wow. Vulpix seems to really like you."

Dontae looked down on Vulpix, and the two just seemed as though they were meant for each other. The Rogue could hardly believe himself; he felt like he was getting a little emotional, and tried his best not to let it show.

Dontae looked back at Janice and smiled, warmly, "Your Vulpix is in good hands."

Janice smiled, and hugged Dontae tightly, "Thank you, Mr. Dontae! I can't tell you how happy this makes me!" She then released him and held out something else: a PokéBall, "Take care of it."

Dontae took the Ball, nodding resolutely, "You can count on me. And when it gets stronger, I'll bring it back to you. I promise."

Janice sniffed again, her eyes leaking with joy, "Thank you. I'll be back for it someday. I swear I will."

With that, the trio was back on the road. The Rogue had told Janice to get to Pewter City and talk to the police immediately. Dontae had not returned Vulpix back to its ball; instead, he massaged it, helping its wounds recover until they could get to the nearest Pokémon Center. Charmander was helping, too, by talking to it in its own language; the two Fire-types seemed to hit it off, and were enjoying each other's company.

Finally, the bike slowed to a stop once again, inside a rocky enclave that surrounded the grass and dirt road leading to the cave. The large mouth gaped in the rock wall, mere yards from another Pokémon Center.

"I need to go heal this Vulpix," Dontae declared, disembarking from the sidecar, "You two go in without me, and I'll catch up."

The Rogue nodded, and Stacy said, "Hurry back, Dontae," as they both dismounted. Dontae raced to the nearby building, Charmander at his side and Vulpix cradled in his arms.

"So, what's the plan, Detective?" Stacy asked, "Now that we know Team Rocket is back, we'll need to watch out. They're really tough."

The Rogue shook his head, "Those who attack helpless children don't deserve to be called tough. Still, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to carry a little extra assistance." As he said this, there was a rumble inside the cave, and a small herd of small Pokémon came flooding out in a panic. They were all the same: rodent-like, with tough-looking tannish-brown skin and tiny little sharp claws. They all chattered amongst themselves as they raced out of the cave.

The Rogue produced a PokéBall from his duster pocket, enlarged it, and opened it with a PANG! In a flash of light, Beedrill hovered in place at attention, stabbing the air and ready to fight.

"Beedrill, hit one of those Sandshrew with Fury Attack!" the Rogue commanded, and Beedrill zoomed into battle immediately, striking one of the sand-colored Mouse Pokémon with its right stinger. It growled in pain as it struck the wall, only to bounce back toward Beedrill and be stricken with its left stinger. It was hit two more times in quick succession before the smaller Pokémon landed.

Sandshrew stood back up and smirked at its foe. It then ran toward Beedrill, leaped up, and Scratched the Poison Bee Pokémon hard, forcing Beedrill back.

"Now, Poison Sting!" the Rogue ordered. Beedrill aimed its stingers, and launched a flurry of poisonous needles. Sandshrew aimed its claws at Beedrill and made the same move; the two Poison Stings flew past each other and struck, neither one taking much damage.

"That's enough, Beedrill," the Rogue called, "I'll take it from here." He then took an empty PokéBall from his coat, aimed, and threw with all his might. The Ball split open, and the weakened Sandshrew was swallowed in a flash of white light. The Ball landed, it shook three times, and was still. Sandshrew was caught.

Zubat flapped eagerly, screeching in triumph. The Rogue walked up to the PokéBall, took it, and pocketed it, then returned Beedrill to its own Ball with a flash of white light, "Thank you, my insectoid friend. Well, let's get moving."

Stacy nodded, and the two made their way in, when they were stopped by the sound of the Pokémon Center's door opening. A second later, Dontae and Charmander joined them again, accompanied by a fully healed and happy Vulpix. It squealed happily and almost skipped as it walked.

"Hey, guys," said Dontae, his face lined with confusion, "Why haven't you gone it yet?"

The Rogue smiled and pulled Sandshrew's PokéBall from his duster, "Just gathering reinforcements."

Dontae rolled his eyes, "Whatever. Let's just speed things up, okay?" With that, he returned Vulpix to its own Ball and jumped into the motorcycle's sidecar, Charmander jumping in after him. The Rogue mounted his bike again, Stacy clinging to him from behind, and he gunned the engine, making it roar to life. The bike rolled into the cave, and Zubat took off, flapping madly at high speed to keep up.

For the entire time the group rolled swiftly through Mt. Moon, there was no activity. Not even the wild Pokémon were stirring (although, the Rogue attributed that to the echoing bellow of his bike's engine driving them away). They were nearing the end of the cave in record time, and things were as quiet as they were in Pallet Town.

"Maybe if we weren't making so much noise," Dontae yelled above the engine's roar, "We could get the drop on the Rockets! They can probably hear us coming from miles away!"

"I don't think so!" yelled Stacy, "Some of these caves run so deep, no sounds get in at all!"

The Rogue saw Dontae's point either way, and slowed the bike to a stop, shutting off the engine and dismounting. "We'll probably make better progress in tracking these guys without the noise anyway," he said calmly.

Dontae jumped out of the sidecar, Charmander soon after, "Even so, these caves are a natural maze. It'll be difficult finding them just because of that."

Zubat suddenly twitched, and then zoomed down a lengthy corridor of the cave, urging the others to follow.

"What's Zubat's problem?" Stacy asked worriedly.

The Rogue grinned, "That's my Zubat's sonar working for it. It can hear things not even dogs can hear. Let's follow!" And the trio worked together to push the Rogue's bike out down the corridor, swiftly making good time and following Zubat to their destination.

After only a few minutes of walking, the Rogue began hearing what he knew Zubat heard: voices. They were getting closer to their quarry. The voices were indistinct, but they were definitely human.

"Hey, you guys hear that?" whispered Dontae.

"Yeah, I do," Stacy answered quietly, a shiver clear in her voice, "Is it them? Is it the robbers?"

"Shh!" the Rogue silenced them, "We're getting closer. Just relax."

The trio continued to sneak down the corridor, and the Rogue suddenly felt Stacy's soft hand on his arm. The voices were even louder now, and only a few words were clear. Finally, the group stopped just before a turn in the corridor that led to a more spacious section of the cavern. The Rogue peeked around, and saw the source of the voices: two men, wearing black uniforms each with a large red "R" on the front, bellowing orders to more people wearing the same outfits. The males wore slacks and the females wore miniskirts, and they all wore the same gray boots and flat caps. They all carried pickaxes, shovels, jackhammers and wheelbarrows full of dirt; they appeared to be digging for something. A few steps away from them was a skinnier man, in glasses and a lab coat, tied up and struggling with the ropes.

"Move it, underlings!" one of the commanders, a tall, skinny man with white hair (despite his apparent youth) bellowed, "The Boss is already unhappy that we're behind schedule! That Museum robbery shouldn't have taken so long!"

His partner, a muscular man who was only marginally shorter than his cohort, answered, "Well, if they hadn't stopped to pick on that little girl, we'd be out of here by now! I mean, seriously, how much valuable stuff could a little girl have?"

"That was your division, you dolt," the skinny man bit back, "If you had better control over them, we'd be finished here already!"

"Well, it was your stupid idea to rob that Museum!" the muscle guy retorted, "That was what took too long! 'Single file', you said! There wasn't even anything there we could use!"

The incarcerated man struggled more, adding to it by yelling, "Please, stop this! You're disturbing the resting places of these fossils! And the wild Pokémon are scared! You must cease!"

Their bickering was stopped when they both turned toward their prisoner, but they said nothing to him. They merely laughed and continued to bark orders at the other agents. This, too, soon ceased when the duo was approached by a slender, red-headed female agent, "Sir, the explosives are in place. Shall we light the fuse?"

The muscle guy answered, "Proceed, Grunts. We'll have an easy shortcut to Cerulean City with this blast! And once we're out, we'll hop a cruiser, cut through the cape, and ship out to sea with ALL our goodies!

The skinny man added excitedly, wringing his hands as he spoke, "We'll revive the fossils we've found at Cinnabar, hand over the rarest ones to the Boss, and sell the rest on the black market!"

"Oh, no!" Stacy whispered to the boys, "We can't let those terrible people do that! We have to stop them!"

"First thing's first," the Rogue interrupted, "We have to keep them from blasting that cave. The whole thing could come down on top of us."

Dontae grinned, "Leave that to me!"

Another agent appeared before the two commanders and presented them with a long string that could only be the dynamite's fuse. The skinny man took it, and produced a lighter from his pocket, "Here goes! Good-bye, rat-hole, hello riches!" He then ignited the lighter, touched the fuse to the flame, and . . .

PANG!

"Squirtle, squirtle!" Dontae's Squirtle called out, and it gurgled as a jet of water shot from its mouth, knocking the lighter out of the skinny man's hand and dampening the fuse.

"What!" the skinny man barked, "What's going on? Who was that?!"

"Show yourself!" the muscle guy added forcefully, "you can't hide from Team Rocket!"

Dontae jumped out from behind the wall, Charmander right beside him, "That was me! So you really are back, huh? Well, you shouldn't be too hard to take out with Giovanni gone!"

The Rogue, Zubat, and Stacy followed him out quickly, and the Rogue flashed his investigatory badge, "Viridian Police! You're under arrest for theft, kidnapping, destruction of public property, and willful Pokémon abuse! Unless you want to add to those charges, surrender now!"

The two commanders simply laughed haughtily. "Oh! We're so scared!" the muscle guy mocked.

"You obviously don't know what you're up against, Detective!" the skinny one added, a malicious grin on his face, "So why don't we introduce ourselves properly?"

The duo then struck a pose, and began to recite a strange monologue that the Rogue had never seen before.

"Prepare for trouble, from deep in the cave!" the skinny man announced.

"And make it double, we're back from the grave!" the muscle guy added, in verse.

"To inflict some worldwide devastation!"

"To wipe out every single nation!"

"To destroy the goodness of truth and love!"

"To rain down terror from the skies above!"

"Julius!" the skinny man smirked, taking a PokéBall from his belt.

"Caesar!" the muscle guy grinned, unclipping his own PokéBall.

"Team Rocket hides by day and rules by night!" Julius opened his PokéBall.

"No need to surrender, you won't put up a fight!" Caesar did the same, and with a double-PANG! and two flashes of light, their Pokémon joined them.

Julius's Pokémon was mid-sized, fox-like and bipedal. It had light brown skin, a red star on its forehead, and carried a silver spoon in its right paw. It waved the claws on its other paw mysteriously, swished its bushy tail, and twitched its long mustache as it called out, rolling its 'R' lengthily, "Kadabrrrrra!" Caesar's Pokémon was taller, blue, and (if possible,) more muscular than Caesar. It had three thin ridges on top of its head, and wore black briefs, and a belt around its waist with the letter 'P' that appeared to be a wrestling belt. It grunted and growled like a prizefighter as it pounded its massive fists together.

"A Kadabra and a Machoke!" Dontae analyzed, "These guys must be tough! Be on your guard, Squirtle!" Squirtle nodded, and prepared for combat.

Other than recovering from the oddity of Julius and Caesar's introductory recitation, the Rogue felt his battle instinct activate and rise to their peak. He plucked a PokéBall from his duster and opened it; the Sandshrew he caught mere hours before stood staunchly before its new foes, growling and ready for battle, "Wh-thiw, wh-thiw!"

"What?!" Dontae was shocked, "That was your reinforcements! That puny thing is gonna get creamed!"

"Please!" the scientist yelled, still wriggling in the ropes, "I must insist you do not battle here! You could damage the fossils!"

"Hah!" Caesar guffawed, "What wimps! Machoke, Karate Chop attack!" Machoke tensed, and raced in, straightening its hand plate-thin and aiming for Sandshrew.

The detective thought quickly, "Sandshrew, Defense Curl!" Sandshrew obeyed, curling into a perfect sphere and gaining a faint white glow. Machoke's Karate Chop landed, and Sandshrew was knocked back, but the damage was clearly minimized; Sandshrew stood back up, ready for more.

"Squirtle, help it out! Water Gun!" Dontae called, and Squirtle responded with another jet of water from its mouth.

"Sandshrew, Poison Sting!" the Rogue added, and the Mouse Pokémon fired the poisonous needles from its claws. Both moves struck Machoke and knocked it back; the roped-up scientist, having suddenly forgotten his warnings about battling, cheered them on as the Rogue and Dontae fought, their Pokémon exerting one-hundred-percent effort.

"Shut up, Super Nerd!" Julius cawed, then turned back to the battle, "Oh, we can't have this! Kadabra, Disable!" Kadabra did not move; instead, its eyes glowed a furious blue, and across the way, Squirtle's body glowed the same blue. It attempted to respond with another jet of water, but found it could not do it. It coughed and sputtered, but not even saliva was present.

"Great!" Caesar chuckled haughtily, "Machoke, give 'em a Low Kick!" Machoke nodded, and crouched down low, ready to jab its leg out.

"Sandshrew, Sand-Attack!" the Rogue called quickly, and Sandshrew rolled in, kicking up a dangerous cloud of dust all around Machoke. Squirtle dodged just in time as Low Kick missed its mark.

Julius growled in discontent, "That's it! Kadabra, Confusion!" Once again, Kadabra was still; the only move it made was a twitch of its spoon hand. A split-second later, the air around Sandshrew became warped and twisted, and Sandshrew was knocked even further back, striking the wall behind it and knocking it unconscious.

The Rogue returned his Pokémon, scoffing in displeasure. "Should've seen that coming," he mumbled, angry and disappointed in himself.

"Hold on, Kolchak!" Dontae announced, "Squirtle, give Psychic Hotline over there the old pearly whites!" Squirtle obeyed, jumping onto Kadabra and sinking a mighty Bite onto the Psy Pokémon's arm. Kadabra flung the Tiny Turtle Pokémon away, but could not move afterwards, all it could do was cover its eyes with its hands.

"Flinched, yes!" Dontae cheered, "Bite it again, Squirtle!"

"Oh, no you don't!" Caesar interrupted, "Machoke, Seismic Toss!" Machoke obeyed, racing toward Squirtle and attempting to grab it.

PANG!

Another burst of light, and all competitors were hidden by a thick, black smoke. "Char!" a rough, crackling voice growled in victory as Machoke missed its hit. Squirtle struck Kadabra with another Bite, and the Psychic-type fell over, injured and defeated.

"Grrrrr!" Julius was beyond words, "You punks, how did that happen?!"

The Rogue smiled and held Charmeleon's empty PokéBall. "Thanks, Mom," he said under his breath.

"All right, Rogue!" Dontae applauded, "I'll wrap this up! Water Gun, Squirtle!" Squirtle obeyed and, having shaken off Kadabra's Disabling, launched another fierce jet of water from its mouth.

"Charmeleon, help it out with Ember attack!" the Rogue added, and Charmeleon launched a flurry of flame from its nostrils. The fire struck first, knocking Machoke onto one foot, then the water struck, hitting Machoke one last time; it fell, moaning in pain and defeated.

"No!" Caesar groaned, "I lost too!"

"It doesn't matter!" Julius snapped as they both returned their defeated Pokémon, "We gotta get out of here. Sorry we couldn't play longer, Detective!"

The Rogue began to panic, and went to chase them if he had to, when echoes began to sound off in the cave adjacent to them, and the Rogue saw lights coming from around the opposite wall of the cave. The Rogue realized it a second before it happened: they were police sirens. A large paddy wagon revved onto the scene, followed by what seemed like every cop in the Cerulean City Police Department, either in squad cars or on motorcycles, all toting sirens.

The Officer Jenny of Cerulean City stepped off of her bike and announced to the many squadrons, "We've got them, men! Surround them, quickly!" One by one, the cops began to book each and every Rocket agent at the scene, binding them in handcuffs, reading them their rights, and stuffing them into the cars and wagons.

Jenny walked up to the Rogue, Dontae and Stacy with a broad smile, "We got the call from Pewter City that Team Rocket was causing trouble again. We gathered up a few squads and decided to rendezvous with you here in order to get them faster. I see we got here in time!"

The detective nodded, returning Charmeleon to its PokéBall, "Thanks for the assistance, Jenny. We were starting to think we were all alone in this."

"Well, you could've gotten here sooner, you know!" Dontae grumbled, "If you had been later, my Squirtle—"

"Look!" Stacy suddenly chirped, pointing to where Squirtle was. The Rogue and Dontae looked, and saw that it was glowing. It was coated in a blinding white glow, changed forms from one to the other and back rapidly, and in a burst of light, a new Pokémon stood in its stead. It was taller and colored a darker blue; it sported long, feathery ears, and had a longer, fluffier tail. "Wartortle!" it grunted in a husky voice.

"Wow!" Stacy awed the Turtle Pokémon with a smile, "It's a Wartortle now!"

Dontae observed his new Pokémon, then continued to rant, "—correction, my _Wartortle_, would've been taken out, and then just taken!"

The Rogue sighed and rolled his eyes, "Well, anyway, I don't suppose you could direct us to Cerulean City, would you?"

Jenny replied eagerly, "I'd be glad to give you a police escort. Follow us, please, and if you would, I'd like to take your statement for my report."

The Rogue nodded, but turned when he heard Julius screaming out at him, "You won't get away with this, Detective! Team Rocket will always come back!"

"You can't keep us in jail" Caesar added, "We'll get even with you yet, Detective! Just wait!"

The Rogue merely scoffed and mounted his bike, waited for Stacy, Dontae, and Charmander to board with him, and sped alongside the police motorcade, Zubat flapping loyally beside him.

Pikachu peeked out from behind the wall of the cave just as the big police group left. Wow, its new friends were so brave! They battled the bad guys in black, and they put them away for their bad deeds. It was going to be fun traveling with them, and it would be totally safe, too! Without another thought, Pikachu eagerly raced along the cave floor, desperate to catch up with its friends.


	7. 7 - Verdus the Uncatchable

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#7: Verdus the Uncatchable

The ventilation shaft came off easily, and practically fell off the wall. It was caught before it hit the floor, though, and not a sound was made in the dark. A dark swish, a soundless landing, the gentle flapping of wings behind; it was almost too easy. Yes, this was one of the most respected Pokémon research facilities in the whole Kanto region, so naturally, it would have been a target for many ne'er-do-wells. But Bill was a harmless PokéManiac, so no one ever thought to make him a victim of a break-in.

Until now.

Bill's computer systems, which would be easy enough to hack, could contain a myriad of remarkable research notes on Pokémon that no one has ever seen before. He also kept numerous valuable Pokémon items stashed away, such as Fossils, rare Berry plants, Technical Machines: the works. Bill only trusted certain people with his research, and was very secretive about it with others. Indeed, a stash like his could lead to many new possibilities to exploit the powers and value of Pokémon.

_Of course, no one knows more about the value of Pokémon than me._

Careful steps, gentle flapping, and a motion to sit at the seat in front of a computer desk. Password screen: eliminated. Secret files: accessed. Download: initiated. Anyone would pay big money for it if there was something valuable on them, and there was no doubt that something valuable was here. He could lift this data and slip out of the house before anyone knew. And unless the Rogue was involved in the investigation, he'd be miles away within hours.

_Then again, the Rogue won't be a problem. He doesn't intimidate me in the least. He can't catch me._

_No one can catch me._

The motorcade of cops came bustling out of the exit mouth of Mt. Moon. Inside their squad cars and paddy wagons were numerous Team Rocket members who would be toted to the police station for questioning. At the end of the motorcade were the Rogue, Dontae and Stacy, all riding the detective's motorcycle and easing to a stop just as they exited the cave. No more than a half-mile ahead was the skyline of Cerulean City, the home of the CascadeBadge. The Rogue felt his determination stir; one badge was simple enough, but all of his skill would come into play for the next seven. Especially for this one.

The last vehicle to emerge was Officer Jenny's motorcycle, the scientist riding in the back. He had been freed during the raid, and was questioned for the police report. As Jenny's bike slowed to a stop, he disembarked quickly, "Oh, Detective! Detective, may I have a word?"

The Rogue glanced at him as Zubat glided gently down onto his shoulder, "Uh, sure. Anything wrong, sir?"

"Why, no!" the scientist replied giddily, "I just thought I might give you and your cohorts a little token of my appreciation. You saved my life, and those of the Pokémon in that cave, and for that, I am most grateful." He then swiftly produced two objects from his lab coat: two strange-looking rocklike objects. One was round and domed, and the other was spiraled.

"These are special fossils that I found inside the cave before Team Rocket attacked me," the scientist explained, "I managed to hide them when they captured me, but I fear they'll be back for them. I know you can take better care of them than I could."

The scientist placed the dome-like object into the Rogue's hands, and the spiral object into Dontae's hands. He then looked over to Stacy and said regrettably, "I'm sorry, my dear, but if I had a third one, it would be yours."

"That's okay," Stacy assured, "I don't need one."

"Uh," Dontae studied the fossil unsurely, "Thanks, doc. We'll take care of them."

The Rogue placed the unusual gift inside his duster, "Much obliged, sir. There's a lab on Cinnabar Island that'll get these looked at for us."

The scientist smiled, "Oh, no need to thank me! Nice to know that our criminal investigators work so hard!" At this time, he had boarded Jenny's motorcycle, and it sped away, down the rocky road to Cerulean City. The Rogue decided that it was time to do the same, and revved the engine of his own bike, rolling down the road and headed for the same destination.

Pikachu ran faster and faster until it knew it was safe. It was so scared of the dark! He then heard the massive sound of a motorcycle engine, and turned to see it speeding away. Pikachu just missed its new friends! With a twitch in its nose, Pikachu made its way out again, tracking the humans and ready to be the sweetest, most helpful Pokémon ever.

Data download: complete! Everything was finished, and from the looks of the gang bagging items all over the house, they were done too. Time for a dramatic exit; a few flashes of laser light, a whisk back to the vent shaft, a gentle leap, the rush of wings, nothing was too difficult this time around. He listened deeper, and heard footsteps. Just in time. Another slip from the darkness, and he was gone just before the door opened. He was outside when he heard that call he loved so much: "I've been robbed! Help, someone! Help! I'VE BEEN ROBBED!"

The Rogue kicked back and stretched out in his chair. The Pokémon Center in Cerulean was air-conditioned, and the conditions were refreshing after his recent trekking through leafy forests, moist caves and humid weather. His and Dontae's Pokémon were being treated at the counter, and as soon as they got back, the Rogue would challenge the Cerulean City Gym Leader. If it meant catching Kaine, the detective was more than willing to face Misty's legendary temper.

After a set of five rhythmic beeps, the Cerulean Nurse Joy called from behind the counter, "Oh, Detective! Your Pokémon are fighting fit!" The Rogue got up from his chair and moved to the counter, seeing that Dontae was already there, helping Charmander down from the counter. His Zubat was perched on the counter, grinning and showing its fangs as the Rogue seized his three PokéBalls and returned them, in order of their capture, to the breast pocket of his duster.

"Such an interesting team you have, Detective!" Nurse Joy praised, "How long have you been doing this?"

The Rogue held back a scathing response, made it gentler, and said it, "Longer than you might guess. Thanks, Joy, take it easy."

Joy blushed, and replied coyly, "Anytime, Detective. I hope to—I mean, _we_ hope to see you again." She then waved dreamily as the Rogue and Dontae exited the building, Stacy following them as she saw them moving.

Once outside, Stacy was inquisitive, "So, what's the next move? Are you going to try for your second badge, Detective?"

The Rogue nodded, "I'll have to. I already have one badge, and one is enough of a reason not to quit now. We're making pretty good time so far, though. I'd say if we keep up this pace, I'll be ready to infiltrate the tournament in three weeks."

Dontae's eyes rolled, "Well, I hope you have as much skill by then as you have confidence now. Terrorist or no terrorist, speed and skill don't mix when earning badges, and you'll need both."

The Rogue scoffed, "My methods may be unusual to you, but I'm the best at what I do. I've worked hard to become so, and no criminal has stained my record. Kaine will be no different."

The trio was interrupted when they heard a voice screaming from up a nearby northern road, "HELP! Someone, please, help, I've been robbed! Help me, please!"

The Rogue, Dontae, and Stacy all turned to see a man running down from the road. He was tall, with short, shaggy brown hair and a frightened expression on his face. His hair and clothes were disheveled, as if he had just been attacked.

The man seemed to find the Rogue instantly, and raced toward him, "Hey! You're the Rogue aren't you? The detective from Viridian City!"

Zubat stirred on the Rogue shoulder, but the detective calmed it down. "Yes, I'm the Rogue," he answered warily, "Is something wrong?"

The man had stopped running, and was now directly in front of the trio. "My . . . my name . . . is Bill . . ." he huffed, out of breath from so much running, "Please . . . you must . . . must help me . . . my home . . . robbed . . . my computer . . . hacked . . ."

"Relax, Bill," the Rogue replied to his raving, "Take me to the scene, and I'll figure something out. Get on the bike." He motioned to it, and Bill race over to it.

"But, Detective," Stacy whispered, getting close, so as to keep Bill from hearing, "We're on a schedule, aren't we? We need to see Misty and get that Badge."

"Who needs to see me, now?"

Everyone turned to see who spoke, and saw a young girl walk up to them. She was fair-skinned, had vivid red hair tied in a ponytail, and was wearing a simple yellow, sleeveless top and tiny denim shorts, which were held up by a set of red suspenders.

Dontae was the first to step up, "Why, that would be me, miss. You wouldn't happen to be free Sunday, would you?"

The Rogue and Stacy both sighed, and the detective spoke next, "You must be Misty. It seems you've caught me at an irregular time. I have business to attend to, both with you, and with Bill here."

"I know that," Misty replied matter-of-factly, "Bill called me and said something terrible had happened, told me to meet him in the city. Now that I see you're here, you should be able to help him, right? Unless you want to settle your business with me, first?"

The Rogue frowned, but kept his cool, "We'll solve Bill's emergency first. Afterwards, I need to discuss with you a battle for your CascadeBadge."

"Fine, then," Misty smirked, "I wasn't going to let you battle me until you help Bill first, anyway. Shall we?" She jumped onto the back of the Rogue's bike, grinning.

The Rogue suppressed a growl; this girl had attitude. It was going to be difficult working with her, which meant it would be even harder to battle her. He approached the bike and mounted it, waiting for Bill to jump into the sidecar, then turned to Dontae and Stacy, "You guys wait here. I'll settle this quickly."

"But what if you need help?" Stacy asked, "We should all be together, shouldn't we?"

"Oh, no! Let him go! We can take care of ourselves!" Dontae interjected, his voice sopping over with sarcasm, "Let Sherlock solve other people's mysteries while the Plateau get blow—" Stacy had pressed her hand over Dontae's mouth, urging him to keep quiet, as the Plateau case was meant to be a secret.

The Rogue scoffed, gunned the engine of his motorcycle, and sped off up the northern road with Zubat flapping at his side, taking Bill's directions when he gave them.

The place was spotless. The Rogue and Zubat were observing Bill's home on the edge of Cerulean Cape, and the Rogue had never seen a cleaner burglary. Drawers were pulled out and bare; shelves in the walls were empty; and large machines laid against the wall were stripped of important parts. The only thing that looked unharmed was the computer sitting on a desk in the middle of the room, and it, too had apparently been victimized; the screen was flashing red, and a window read, in large black type, 'FILES EMPTY, STORED DATA: 0'

The detective whistled slowly at the sight, even as he scanned the entire are from top to bottom, "Incredible! Not a single clue! I've seen robberies before, but this has to be the most carefully planned one I've ever seen! This was the work of a true master!"

"When you're done falling in love with the culprit," Misty snapped from behind, "Maybe you can tell us if there's anything at all you can do to catch this guy!"

As much as he wanted to, the Rogue kept himself from barking back, and continued to observe. Suddenly, something caught his eye: there was a layer of dust on the computer desk, except for a small sliver of area next to the keyboard. The detective approached, lifted the keyboard from the desk, and found something underneath: a small, white card. With a gloved hand, he picked it up, turned it over, and analyzed it. On the only side with anything on it, there was a single design: a black, stylized 'V'.

"Cocky, too," the Rogue muttered, "He left a calling card. Maybe this is the clue we need." He then took his PokéCell from his duster pocket, rotated the screen, and pointed a special sensor at the card. The small device beeped, and a red laser light shined on the card and its symbol, scanning it.

"What a nifty device!" Bill awed, "What does it do, Detective?"

The Rogue, still scanning the card, muttered his answer, "It's scanning this symbol and comparing it to criminal reports from all over the Kanto region. The case files are all right here in my PokéCell, and when it finds a match, it should be able to tell us our guy."

"Ingenious!" Bill replied, "Where did you get something like this? Did you build it yourself?"

"Shh!" Misty urged, "We're about to find out who robbed you, Bill!"

The file scan took a few seconds, but it finally ended, and the Rogue read the screen: '1 – 20 of 1,825 files matched.' The Rogue scrolled, and scrutinized each case file; each and every file was virtually the same. The types and quantity of items stolen, the stark cleanliness of each crime scene, the M.O., the discovery taking place moments after the robbery took place: every detail was the same as the crime scene the Rogue observed now. Even the calling card—the symbol of the stylized 'V'—was a constant throughout each file. Whoever this thief was, he was an absolute genius. He was right to be cocky; he was a master criminal, and the Rogue doubted he had ever been seen before, much less apprehended.

"Well?" Misty demanded, "Did that hunk of junk find something or what?"

The Rogue turned, eyeing Misty with narrowed eyes, "I'm sorry, was it your house that was robbed? Was it your valuables taken? No? Then SHUT UP!"

Misty took a step back, eyes wide, as if this was the first time anyone had dared speak to her that way. She turned around and crossed her arms with a loud "Humph!"

After a few more seconds of observation, the Rogue caught another sight. It was a ventilator that hung on the wall, undoubtedly leading to a shaft that led outside. "Does that vent ever get cleaned?" the Rogue inquired.

"Not for the last six months," Bill replied, "I was actually just about to call to get it cleaned again."

The Rogue grinned, then reached up to pull the shaft off. It did not budge. Upon closer inspection, he saw that the edges of the vent were soldered to the wall, but also slightly melted, indicating intense heat or a chemical reaction of some kind. "This wasn't done by a human," he observed.

"What?" Bill and Misty both asked at once, looks of confusion clearly shown on their faces.

"You see?" the Rogue showed them, "This vent's edges were melted, meaning someone broke in through here. A soldering iron wouldn't be that sloppy, and Fire would be too much, for human or Pokémon. My guess is, it was some sort of chemical that melted it, and a thief stealing from houses wouldn't have access to advanced chemicals. This was a Pokémon that knows Acid."

"Wow," Bill awed once again, "Impressive, Detective! We're that much closer to the thief!"

The Rogue made his way to the door, and saw that Misty was glancing his way slightly. When she saw he was looking, she turned away again, arms still crossed and still looking indignant, "Whatever. Big deal."

The detective rolled his eyes on the way out, and as he exited the building, he strode around to the side of the house where he was sure the vent shaft led to. He saw the vent on the other side, and saw the same pattern on the edges as was on the other side: chemical melting. He was so close, he could feel it. He could almost hear it.

Suddenly, Zubat began screeching from inside the house. The Rogue turned, and saw his partner flapping out of the house, agitated and shaky. "What is it, Zubat?" he asked, worried about his Pokémon. Zubat then flew at high speed down the edge of the Cape, screeching all the way.

Bill and Misty came speeding out soon after, both looking concerned. "Zubat just started going crazy!" Bill explained, "What's going on?"

The Rogue didn't answer. His thoughts were on finding Zubat. The Bat Pokémon was still in sight, flapping and screeching madly, even as it approached a small hill at the edge of the Cape. It flew up the side, but stopped halfway, and the Rogue had just reached the foot of the hill when he looked, and thought he needed glasses for a moment. He was seeing two Zubat.

The Rogue blinked, then blinked again. Indeed, there were two Zubat, fighting on the side of the hill, bashing each other with their wings and Biting each other hard. The Rogue sighed, thinking it was nothing more than play, or squabbling, "Zubat, we don't have time for this! We have work to do!"

"Oh, let them play, Detective! It's actually kinda cute!"

The Rogue turned to find the source of the voice, and saw a figure at the top of the hill. He was about the Rogue's height, and had slicked-back, forest-green hair and shiny black eyes that glinted with greed. He wore a black, skintight leather body suit, thick gloves and boots, a belt loaded with gadgets, and clip-like objects along the outside of his sleeves, each holding a PokéBall. He was carrying a large sack on his back, obviously loaded to the brim.

The Rogue eyed the figure warily, "Who are you? Is that your Zubat? What do you have to do with this robbery!"

The figure smirked in response to the Rogue's zealous questioning, "Normally, I don't answer more than one question for one fan, but you're a special case, Copper! One, the name is Verdus, master cat burglar and at your service!" He took a low, regal bow before resuming, "As for Question Number Two: yes, that is my Zubat, an all-purpose, every-tool-in-one burglary machine! A workaholic thief's best friend!" He then whistled loudly with two fingers, and the other Zubat pried itself away from the Rogue's Zubat, flying up to perch on Verdus' shoulder. "And finally," Verdus concluded, "If you want to know if I had something to do with that robbery," he held up the large sack, dangling it as if to tease the detective with it, "draw your own conclusions." Verdus started laughing: not an evil, maniacal laugh that the Rogue was used to hearing, but a high-spirited, excited laugh, the kind of laugh one would hear from one on a high-speed roller-coaster.

"Hand over the stolen goods, Verdus!" the Rogue ordered fiercely, "Make things easier on yourself!"

Verdus scoffed, "Right! I work hard, I steal a horde of valuable things, and now I'm supposed to give it all up? Come on, Rogue, let me have my fun! At least I'm not Team Rocket! Stealing Pokémon isn't really my style!"

"Style doesn't matter to creeps like you, Verdus!" the Rogue spat back, taking a PokéBall from his coat, "Now tell me how you got in there! You needed a Pokémon with the Acid attack, and someone on the other side to catch the door to avoid making noise! Talk, now!"

Verdus gave a mock scoff of indignation, "Well, if you're gonna be huffy about it!" He then took two PokéBalls from their arm-clips, one from each arm, and opened them with a PANG! In two flashes of light, a large snake-like creature and a hunk of purple air with a face appeared. The snake was all light-purple, except for its eyes, a stripe on its neck, the rattle on its tail and its underside (which were all yellow), and it hissed as it reared up, "Ekanssssssss!" The floating hunk of purple was spiky all over, had a face that looked like it was taken from a jack-o-lantern, and two clawed hands that floated at its sides, separate from its body. It cackled wickedly as its hands floated around its body, like the electrons of a giant, grotesque atom.

"Ekans here," Verdus explained, petting the Snake Pokémon as he spoke, "Used Acid on the vents and sealed them up for Daddy." Ekans snuggled up to Verdus' leg, hissing comfortably. "And Haunter over there, being a Ghost-Type Pokémon, and therefore, able to phase through walls, was already on the other side before I even got in!" Haunter dropped to the ground and bounced up and down, cackling manically and scratching the air with its severed hands.

The Rogue growled at Verdus' incessant impudence, "All right, it's over, Verdus! I'm taking you in, by force if I have to!" Enlarging the Ball in his hand, the Rogue opened it, and Beedrill appeared in a flash of light, slashing the air with its stingers and buzzing angrily, challenging Verdus on the spot.

Verdus sighed deeply, as if faced with another inconvenience at an office job, "Why do you cops always have to spoil my fun?" He then returned Ekans and Haunter to their own PokéBalls, and took a third one from his arm-clips, enlarging and opening it to reveal a small, cumbersome, rhinoceros-like Pokémon, covered from horn to tail in craggy gray spikes. It gave a grunting roar and swept the ground with its right front paw, ready to charge.

"Rhyhorn," Verdus asked his Pokémon, as if asking a neighbor for a cup of sugar, "do me a favor and get that meddling detective out of my hair? A Horn Attack ought to do, thank you kindly." Rhyhorn charged in, aiming its horn at the Poison Bee Pokémon and bellowing.

"Beedrill, Harden!" the Rogue felt his instincts activate, and Beedrill responded to his call; a thin, yet stiff shell coated Beedrill's body, but when the horn struck, it made little difference. Beedrill was thrown back by the force of the attack.

"Beedrill, use Twineedle!" the detective called out, and Beedrill zoomed in, aiming its stingers and striking hard with the move, once with the left, and again with the right. Rhyhorn moaned in pain and began exhaling purple clouds of Poison. Angrily, Rhyhorn raced in and leaped surprisingly high, given its size, and attempted to Stomp on the Bug-type. Beedrill was crushed under the weight of the strong Pokémon's feet.

Beedrill pushed Rhyhorn off of it and thrusts its stingers into it multiple times for a Fury Attack. Rhyhorn moaned again, swinging its head around in an attempt to jab it into Beedrill again. Beedrill completed its attack and backed off, waiting for more orders.

Until Rhyhorn disappeared.

In a flash of laser light, Rhyhorn was gone. Both the Rogue and Beedrill were shocked, and the Rogue looked up at where Verdus was. He had disappeared, as well. The Rogue looked all over the landscape, and did a double-take when he saw Verdus airborne, still holding the bag of stolen goods and gripping the talons of an unusually large bird with a long beak: a Fearow.

"Trust me, Copper, I'd much rather stay!" the thief called down to the detective, "But there are thousands of people out there waiting for me to rob them blind!"

Cursing himself for not paying attention to Verdus when he should have, the Rogue returned Beedrill, then whistled for Zubat to follow. They passed Bill and Misty as they came running up, mounted the Rogue's motorcycle, and revved the engine, keeping his eyes on Verdus' slowly receding figure in the sky.

"Zubat, grab that bag!" the Rogue commanded, and the Bat Pokémon took off after the thief, aiming its wings right for the bag in Verdus' hands. Verdus' Zubat, still perched of the thief's shoulder, took off and intercepted the Rogue's Zubat with a series of Wing Attacks. It screeched and flapped and bit, but Verdus' Zubat was unrelenting.

Bearing the brunt of multiple attacks, Zubat struggled to rise up to the quickly escaping Fearow, finally attaching to the sack. Its movements were getting slower and more forced; its energy was fading fast. With the last of its stamina, it widened its jaws and bit hard, slicing clean through the mouth of the sack and making it drop sixty feet through the air. The Rogue, studying the path of the sack, stopped directly underneath it the second it landed, making it land safely inside the sidecar.

Zubat fell right afterwards. Its weight let it get caught in the air currents, throwing off its course with the Rogue's spot on the ground. The Rogue leaped off his bike and raced to stay underneath Zubat as it fell. Its path put it directly over an inlet of water, separating two strips of land by five or six feet. Zubat fell faster and faster, coming closer to the water all the time. Timing the landing just right, the Rogue leaped through the air just before Zubat touched down, and . . . . .

Caught it.

Landing roughly and rolling through the dirt on the other side of the water inlet, the detective held his injured partner close, feeling reassured at the sound of its heartbeat. Overhead, he heard the distant voice of the thief, far too far away to catch up with now.

"Remember, Copper! There's a reason they call me 'Verdus the Uncatchable'!" And he laughed excitedly again, loud and long until the distance between them made his impossible to hear any longer.


	8. 8 - Matters Involving Evolving

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#8: Matters Involving Evolving

Dontae and Stacy sat at the far end of the Pokémon Center, waiting and looking anxiously at the Rogue. The detective stood in front of a broad window of the Center, unmoving. He was staring unblinkingly out the window, toward the area where Verdus escaped. He did not speak, but those around him felt no need to. His eyes were broiling with rage. His fist was clenched so hard, his knuckles whitened. His teeth were clenched beneath his pursed lips. His anger and feeling of inadequacy stabbed at him from all sides, and it drove him insane.

Stacy approached slowly from the other side of the room, stepping up behind the detective and placing her hand on his back. "Um," she started, uneasily, "It's . . . it's okay, Detective. We all make mistakes. At least . . . at least it wasn't Kaine. He's still out there, and . . . and you can still catch him."

The Rogue said nothing.

Stacy jumped as Dontae suddenly approached from behind, scooting Stacy aside. "All right, you, listen up!" he barked in a tough voice, "I won't let you just sit there feeling sorry for yourself! So you let this Verdus guy get away, so what?! It's not the end of the world! Next time you find him, you'll get him!"

Again, the Rogue was silent.

"Oh, come on!" Dontae shouted, "Grow up, for pity's sake! You got the goods back, and Bill was able to retrieve his missing files! You can't win 'em all, you know! You can't stand there and tell me you've captured every criminal you've ever chased until now!"

It was almost inaudible, but the Rogue definitely spoke, "I have."

Dontae's eyes were wide as he stopped ranting. Stacy had surprise on her face as well, "Are you . . . are you saying that Verdus is the first criminal that ever escaped you? _Ever_?"

It was painful for the Rogue to admit outright, but after a few moments of resisting it, the detective nodded slowly.

The moment was interrupted when Bill walked up from behind, "Detective! I just want to thank you for your hard work. If it hadn't been for you, those valuable items of mine would've been lost forever."

Unmoving, the Rogue nodded without saying a word.

Bill seemed wary at the Rogue's unresponsiveness, then continued, "Well, uh . . . should you ever get the chance, please take this as a gesture of my thanks." He then laid something down on a nearby table, and bid the trio good day as he walked to the door and out of the Pokémon Center.

For the first time in hours since his skirmish with Verdus, the Rogue turned his head, aiming his vision at the object on the table: a yellow slip of paper, marked with the words: 'S.S. ANNE'.

"A boat ticket?" Dontae asked, also looking at the small paper, "Why would Bill give you a boat ticket?"

"Oh! I know why!" Stacy chimed, "The _S.S. Anne_ is a luxury liner that docks in Vermilion City. Only rich people with connections get to go on board. Oh, Daddy and I talked a lot about taking a luxury cruise someday!"

The Rogue continued to be silent as he took the ticket from the table and placed it in his duster pocket.

Stacy gasped excitedly, "Oooh! Does that mean we can go?"

The Rogue sighed, hesitated, then finally replied, "I don't think so. First things first, we need to keep moving. Misty's at the Gym, and I need to defeat her and get her Badge. As soon as my Pokémon are healed, we head out."

Those five rhythmic beeps sounded off, and Nurse Joy's voice followed, "Yoo-hoo, Detective! You're Pokémon are fully healed!"

The Rogue started immediately for the counter, reached out, and took Beedrill's PokéBall. Zubat flapped out from behind the counter, sat on the Rogue's shoulder, and nuzzled his cheek, chirruping soothingly.

The Rogue gave a guilty sigh, "I'm sorry, old friend. You put your life on the line to help me, and it wasn't enough. If I had been more alert, Verdus wouldn't have gotten away, and you wouldn't have gotten hurt. I hope you can forgive me."

Zubat screeched and snuggled up to the Rogue, closer still. This seemed to be Zubat's way of letting him know that there was nothing to forgive.

Nurse Joy seemed buttered up by this sight, "Aww, that's so cute! You're Zubat really cares about you, Detective!"

The Rogue smiled, and gently scratched Zubat's back, making it chirp happily. "Thanks for always sticking up for me, Zubat," said the Rogue calmly, "I'll make this up to you, I promise." He then looked back at Nurse Joy and said, "Thank you. I really appreciate this."

Joy blushed vividly, "Oh, anytime, Detective! That's what I'm here for!" She then waved and said, "Good-bye! We hope to see you again soon!" as the detective walked out the door of the Center, Dontae, Stacy and Charmander accompanying him.

The inside of the Cerulean City Gym was enormous and bright. In the middle of the Gym was a gigantic, Olympic-sized swimming pool, where swimmers were practicing, training, and playing with their Water-type Pokémon. Stacy was smiling, but silent. Dontae was wide-eyed and drooling at all the female Gym Trainers in their two-piece bikinis. The Rogue was single-minded and determined, Zubat on its shoulder, loyal as ever. A gym battle called for all of the focus one could muster, and for the second Gym Badge, it was best not to get complacent.

And yet, something bothered the Rogue in his mind. The detective tried to wave it off, but it made no difference. After Verdus' escape, his confidence had taken a heavy blow, and insecurity invaded his mind repeatedly. He couldn't shake it, not permanently; he was unsure whether this battle would be a victory.

A sight in the water of the pool made the detective glance. Misty was swimming underwater, and had just burst out to the surface, taking a deep breath. She swam to the edge of the pool and climbed out, her light blue, bubble-design two-piece swimsuit glistening with wetness under the lights of the Gym, and her vibrant red hair disarranged with moisture.

Dontae was automatically responsive, "Whoa!" He then slapped his knee and hollered, "That's it! You got me! I'm sold! I'm all yours!"

Misty rolled her eyes as she toweled off, then directed her attention to the detective, "So, Rogue, you decided to show up. Good timing. I heard about what happened with Bill's house-robber, by the way. Guy slipped away, did he?"

The Rogue gave Misty a disapproving stare as he changed the subject, ""Let's just get this over with. I'm on a case that requires this badge."

Misty gasped with fake sincerity as she slipped into her sleeveless yellow top, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know being late for the Pokémon League was so high on your law enforcement to-do list."

The Rogue flashed her a dirty look, then took his position at the side of the pool; the pool itself was designed to be the Gym's battlefield, with various bridges, platforms and other buoyant items floating on the water. Zubat flapped off and perched on a nearby lifeguard's bench, hanging upside-down patiently. Taking a stance and picking a PokéBall from his duster pocket, the Rogue steeled his mind for battle.

Misty, having squeezed into her tight-fitting denim shorts, pulled up the red suspenders and walked forward, taking the other side of the pool. "You know," she said with a grin as she stopped and took her spot, "Any Trainer who wants to turn pro has to have a policy on Pokémon. What's yours?"

The Rogue gave a disinterested sigh, "I am not a Trainer."

"Oh, come on!" Misty prodded, "You especially need one if you wanna beat me! What's your approach?"

The Rogue sighed again, aggravated, and replied, "Whatever solves my case with speed and efficiency."

Misty scoffed, taking her first PokéBall out and enlarging it, "Well, you'll need a better policy than that to beat me! My policy is an all-out offensive with Water-type Pokémon!"

"Whatever," the detective ho-hummed, "Just make your first move."

"You asked for it!" Misty replied eagerly, then threw the PokéBall into the air, "Go, Staryu!" The Ball burst open with a PANG, and Misty's bizarre-looking Pokémon took to the field. It was small, tan, and star-shaped, sporting a red jewel in its center that seemed held there by what appeared to be solid-gold bindings. It cart-wheeled into the pool and shouted with gusto, "Hyah!"

The Rogue enlarged his Ball and opened it, and in a flash of light, his Pokémon appeared on one of the floating platforms: Sandshrew.

"What?!" Dontae called as the action started, "Rogue, what are you doing?! Ground-types are at a disadvantage against Water!"

The Rogue wasn't listening, and began the battle quickly, "Sand-Attack!"

Sandshrew bent low and scraped its paws against the ground, sending a furious shower of sand at Staryu. The Star Shape Pokémon took the attack without blinking (the Rogue wasn't sure if it could blink anyway).

"Fight back with Tackle, Staryu!" Misty commanded, and the Water-type jumped, spinning dangerously in midair like a giant buzzsaw and flying toward Sandshrew, its red jewel glinting madly. Sandshrew was struck hard by the attack, but it bounced back quickly.

"That's the way!" Misty cheered, "Now, more back-to-back Tackle attacks!" Misty's Staryu obeyed, and charged in again, its limbs spinning blade-like and dangerous toward Sandshrew again.

"Sandshrew, repeated Defense Curl!" the Rogue called quickly, and just before Staryu struck the second time, Sandshrew curled up into a ball and glowed white faintly. Staryu struck Sandshrew's tough hide again and again, but each strike seemed to do less damage then the last.

Waiting for just the right moment, the detective made his next move, "Poison Sting!" Sandshrew unfurled just after another Tackle, and aimed its claws and Staryu, launching a series of poisonous needles from them. The needles struck, and Staryu was thrown back.

"Don't let him get to you, Staryu!" Misty called, "Use Harden!"

"Repeat Poison Stings!" the Rogue commanded.

Staryu obeyed with a "Hyah!", and its body stiffened up, gaining a lustrous sheen all over. Sandshrew repeated its move, but seemed to have the same results as Staryu's repeated Tackles: the more hits were made, the less damage they did.

Until Staryu's jewel began to glow purple. It had been Poisoned.

Not missing a beat, the Rogue followed up, "Sand-Attack again! Don't let up!" Sandshrew swept the ground again with its paws, and the sand struck Staryu again and again. Staryu attempted to fight back with more Tackle attacks, but each one was a miss. Each one was slower than the last, as well; Staryu's energy was depleting due to the Poison.

It was then that Misty changed tactics, "Staryu, Recover your health!" Staryu stopped, dove into the pool, and began to glow with a light that seemed to resemble sunlight. In a flash, Staryu jumped out of the pool, shook off the water, and flexed its upper limbs, as if to show off its regained vigor.

Stacy marveled at the tenacity of the two combatants, "Wow, Rogue is really gutsy with Sandshrew's moves. He might just pull it off, after all!"

Dontae shook his head, "I don't think so. At this rate, Staryu can just Recover its lost health at any time. And considering the damage done so far, all Misty needs to win is one well-placed Water Gun. Just one." At this, Stacy's marvel gave way to worry as Staryu and Sandshrew continued to trade blows.

After Staryu Recovered its Poison-eaten health again, Misty stamped her foot vehemently, "All right, that's it! Use Water Gun!" Staryu aimed its top point at Sandshrew, and sprayed a steady stream of water at Sandshrew.

Stacy gasped, "Rogue, you can't let Sandshrew get hit with that move, or it's over!" Sandshrew was way ahead of her, though, and dodged the move effortlessly.

"No!" Misty squawked, "Keep up the Water Gun attacks, Staryu!" The Water-type aimed, and fired repeated streams of water. Its aim compromised by the earlier Sand-Attacks, Staryu was only able to launch attacks at places where Sandshrew had just occupied. The streams got closer with each blast, though, and with time, the blasts just barely grazed Sandshrew's tan skin.

Before the Rogue could call another attack, Staryu's Water Gun finally hit home; Sandshrew was knocked off balance as it leaped into the air, and it was flung into the pool with a great splash. Three seconds after it landed, Sandshrew was seen floating to the top of the pool belly-up, unconscious.

Misty smirked as the Rogue returned Sandshrew to its Ball, "You got guts, I'll give you that. But it'll take more than that to defeat me. You of all people should've known that."

The Rogue fumed, but returned his focus quickly to the battle. He was down by one Pokémon, and his loss of confidence was influencing his poor decisions. He had crippled Staryu's accuracy, and Poisoned it to boot, but it was capable of Recovering its health, which meant that, at the very least, this battle would take much longer than he originally anticipated.

Considering his remaining options, the detective was hesitant. Charmeleon was at an even worse disadvantage, and Beedrill was probably still angry for their performance against Verdus. And with Sandshrew down, this left only one choice—

And Zubat seemed to know it. It flapped off from the lifeguard's bench and stopped in midair in front of its partner. It screeched eagerly and gestured to the battlefield.

The Rogue hesitated once again, "Zubat? You actually want to battle? Well . . . I—I don't know. I don't . . . I don't want you to get hurt again. Are you . . . are you sure you can do this?"

Zubat looked into its partner's eyes without a set of its own, still flapping in midair in front of him. Slowly and methodically, it nodded its small head and bared its fangs.

The detective smiled. Zubat was ready. He pointed to the field, "All right, buddy, go for it!" Zubat zoomed off, screeching a battle cry and beating its wings fiercely.

Misty shrugged, "Whichever you prefer, although it probably would've been wiser to start with Zubat in the first place. Staryu, Water Gun!" Staryu aimed, and shot the umpteenth jet of water, this time aiming for Zubat.

The Rogue made his first move with his Pokémon partner, bold and imposing, "Zubat, Wing Attack!" The Bat Pokémon dove in, missing the Water Gun easily, and struck Staryu with its outstretched wings, surprisingly hard. Staryu was thrown from the pool area, flew fifteen feet away, and struck the wall on the far side of the Gym. As it sank to the floor in a heap, its red jewel flashed like a machine's light, signaling that it was no longer able to go on.

Misty growled, but still managed to maintain dignity as she returned Staryu to its PokéBall. "Celebrate now, Rogue," she muttered with displeasure, "Because I don't go down easily." She then replaced Staryu's Ball with a new one, enlarged it, and threw, opening it with a PANG!

In a flash, a new Pokémon appeared, resembling an upgraded version of Staryu. It was a foot taller than Staryu, instead of tan, it was purple-skinned, and sported five extra points. It, too, had a red jewel in its middle, but unlike Staryu's, it was cut in an octagonal shape. This was Staryu's evolved form: Starmie.

"Starmie!" Misty called out excitedly, "Start off with Rapid Spin!" Starmie leaped off the edge of the pool, humming with a watery burble, and spun blindingly fast, far faster than Staryu's Tackle had, aiming right at Zubat.

"Zubat, Bite!" the Rogue called, and Zubat steadied its jaws as Starmie approached. Starmie came closer and closer, until, CRUNCH! Zubat caught the larger Water-type in its teeth, Biting down hard.

"Excellent! Dontae announced, "Bite is a Dark-type move! Since Starmie is half Psychic-type, that should cause massive damage!"

"Starmie, shake off Zubat with Swift!" Misty called, and Starmie's jewel began to glow yellow. All at once, small, star-shaped rays of light flew from the jewel and circled the two combatants with incredible speed. Before Zubat could escape, though, the star-rays converged, and struck Zubat harshly, making it drop Starmie quickly.

"Now, ready?" Misty commanded, "Aim! Water Pulse!" Starmie aimed its top point at Zubat, and it emitted a series of watery spheres at high speed. The spheres pulsated, and enlarged to form rings of surging water. The pulsing water-rings knocked Zubat out of the air, and the Bat Pokémon fell hard, landing on a piece of wooden bridge. It struggled to get up, but stumbled clumsily and knocked its head against the wooden surface.

The Rogue was stunned, "No! It's Confused!"

Misty grinned maliciously, "Awesome! Now, multiple Swift attacks, Starmie!" Starmie's jewel glinted yellow again, and the star-shaped rays struck Zubat over and over again. As the Poisonous Flying-type made efforts to get away, the star-rays followed it at every turn, striking it down repeatedly, as if they were heat-seeking missiles. Zubat's attempts to fight back only made it stumble and fall, hurting itself in its own Confusion.

The Rogue closed his eyes, not wanting to stand the pain of seeing his friend suffer. He was out of options. Zubat was his last hope, and his partner was slowly losing. And if Zubat lost to Starmie, then the Rogue was as good as defeated by Misty.

And that meant that Kaine won.

Suddenly, there was a glow, bright enough to make the Rogue open his eyes and see something amazing. Zubat was glowing. Under the blinding white light, its form changed to something much bigger, then back in rapid, ever-hastening succession. Finally, in a burst of sparkles, the evolution was complete, and Zubat was a Zubat no longer.

It was over twice its original length, with a massive purple wingspan and huge fangs. Unlike its previous form, this Pokémon actually had eyes, which were small and narrow, and feet, which were skinny and stubby. It hissed in a deep, menacing voice and slashed its large wings through the air.

Misty awed at this sudden game-changer, "Whoa."

Stacy was wide-eyed as well, "Wow! What happened to Zubat?"

Dontae answered, amazed as everyone else, "It evolved!"

The Rogue couldn't process what just happened, "Golbat . . . . ."

Misty shook off the shock quickly, "This doesn't prove anything! Zubat or Golbat, I'll still win! Starmie, Rapid Spin again!"

The Rogue was the second to come to his senses, and he acted quickly, "Golbat, Confuse Ray!"

Starmie spun at high speed, but Golbat was faster; the ray of blinding light was emitting from its eyes, and it completely covered Starmie, bathing it in a befuddling light. Starmie stopped spinning, but continued to lurch forward, pinging off the walls like a giant, bizarre pinball. It finally landed in the pool, dazed and woozy.

"Starmie!" Misty cried worriedly, "It's okay! Use Recover to gain your strength back!"

"No, you don't!" the detective countered, "Golbat, move in!" Golbat obeyed, swooped in with tremendous speed, and swept its wings through the air, creating visible blades of air that cut through the water, slicing into Starmie with frightening force. Starmie flew from the pool and landed outside it, on the edge.

"Whoa!" Dontae's usual shocked expression came out, "That's Air Cutter! No wonder it was so powerful, it has a chance to land a Critical Hit!"

Misty was visibly shaken, and tried not to let it show, "Uh . . . S-Starmie, use Recover!" Once again, Starmie made the attempt to regain its lost points.

"Golbat!" the Rogue called quickly, "Use another Air Cutter!" Golbat's superior speed gave it the edge, and it swept another set of air-blades at Starmie, striking it again and making its Recover move redundant.

"That's it!" Misty stamped her foot angrily again, "Use Water Pulse again, Starmie!"

"Golbat, Bite attack!"

Golbat's speed proved its battle effectiveness once again; it reached Starmie in almost no time at all, and Bit down on it, just as it had while it was a Zubat. Starmie backed off and shuddered with fear: it had Flinched.

The Rogue knew that this was his best chance to finish the match. "Golbat, finish it!" the detective ordered, "Wing Attack!" Golbat obeyed, and swooped in, its speed defying logic once again. It reached out with its much longer wings and struck Starmie one last time. It bubbled shrilly in pain as it was thrown from the force of the attack, and landed hard into the pool. Its body made a loud, painful SLAP sound as it hit the water, and it floated there, unmoving, its red jewel flashing in defeat.

Stacy cheered and danced with Charmander as Dontae sighed in relief. "He did it, he did it, he did it!" Stacy cheered as Charmander blew out flames into the air in celebration.

Golbat flew back to where the Rogue stood, standing in front of him, smiling with a large mouth that almost took up its entire body. The Rogue looked with a combination of pride, awkwardness, and relief. Golbat was now only a foot shorter than its human partner. How the Rogue was going to allow Golbat to stay out of a PokéBall at this point, he had no idea.

At this time, Misty had approached the detective, a regretful look on her face. "I suppose I was wrong about you, Rogue. You're too much, even for me." She then reached behind her and stuck her hand into the back pocket of her tight shorts. Turning back around, she showed the Rogue what she took from the pocket: a small, shiny object, shaped and colored like a water droplet. "Here," she said earnestly, "You can have the CascadeBadge to show you beat me."

The Rogue took the Badge, took his wallet from his duster pocket, and pinned the Badge inside, directly next to the BoulderBadge he earned from Brock. "Thank you, Misty. You have no idea how much you've helped me."

Misty smiled and put her hands behind her back, "Well, uh . . . you're welcome, I guess."

Stacy raced up to the detective, taking his arm eagerly, "We'd better move now, Detective. We don't want to waste any more time."

The detective nodded, and turned to exit the building, but turned back once more when he heard Misty call out, "Detective?" She hesitated, then continued, "I hope you solve your case soon."

The Rogue smiled, "So do I. Take care, Misty." And with that, the Rogue and Stacy exited the Gym, Dontae following behind them and gagging himself with his finger, while Charmander giggled to itself while watching its Trainer.

The Rogue, Dontae, and Stacy were now back on the road, and Golbat was flying through the air above them, excited and carefree, and carrying Charmander on its back. Having consulted the digital maps on his PokéCell, he was made aware that cutting through Saffron City by way of the Underground Tunnels was the fastest way to get to Vermilion City, the next city with a Pokémon Gym. The Rogue observed his Golbat flying through the air with mixed feelings. He had known Zubat since it was a small, injured little Pokémon during a case inside Victory Road, so many years ago. It had become his friend, confidant and partner, helping him solve countless cases. Its intelligence, cunning and strength—despite its size—were always an asset to the detective.

This new Golbat presented even more conflict for the Rogue. Yes, evolution meant more power. Yes, this meant that he was even stronger now, and could earn Badges more quickly. And yes, this also meant that he had an advantage over Verdus next time they'd meet. But its new, larger size made it more cumbersome, and thus, impractical to keep outside of a PokéBall. The Rogue was not intent on doing that, though; Zubat wasn't just Pokémon, but his partner, and that had not changed with evolution. In the detective's opinion, keeping Golbat in a PokéBall so suddenly was like mistreating it after years of service and loyalty. The Rogue could not bring himself to do that.

Golbat suddenly landed on the road in front of the group, and the Rogue had to roughly apply the brakes, making them all lurch forward. Charmander jumped off, and was now doing what Golbat was doing; babbling in its own language and gesturing wildly up the road.

Stacy was worried, "What's wrong with them? They look scared or something."

Dontae, seeming to understand the situation, replied, "Charmander seems to be afraid of something ahead, that's coming right for us."

The Rogue was on alert, keeping his hand inside his jacket, clasped over a PokéBall in case he needed to battle. After a few seconds, there was a figure approaching from up the road, not seeable, but growing clearer as it approached. Who was it? A Team Rocket member? Verdus? Perhaps even Kaine himself? The Rogue could only guess, until the figure came within sight. After that, he knew exactly who it was, and it was not Team Rocket, Verdus, or even Kaine.

In the Rogue's opinion, it was much worse.

The figure spoke with a deep, yet strangely benign tone, "Hello, there. It's been awhile, hasn't it, kiddo?"

The Rogue spat back with extreme distaste, "Not long enough, Father."


	9. 9 - Family Tatters

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#9: Family Tatters

Dontae, Charmander, Stacy and Golbat all froze, their mouths hanging open and their eyes wide. The man who had just addressed the Rogue so benignly was still standing there, quietly and expectantly. He was wearing a long, leather duster, similar to the Rogue's, but colored dark purple. He had short, slicked back black hair, which was quite similar to the Rogue's own short, spiky black hair. In fact, the only other differences between them: the figure was an inch or two taller than the Rogue, he had a shaggy black beard, and his face was lined with age. Other than that, the two men were exactly alike.

"'Not long enough'?" the older man said, "'Not long enough'? Is that any way to greet your old man after so long?"

The Rogue's eyes narrowed, "If you hadn't gone the last twelve years without even so much as writing, you wouldn't have expected as much!"

Dontae stepped in tentatively, "Whoa, wait a minute. Am I picking up the fact that this man is your father, and you haven't seen him in twelve years?! How the hell did that happen?"

The older man nodded with a smile, "Why don't you tell them, Ryoguchi? Shouldn't your friends be enlightened? You should at least introduce us."

The Rogue muttered through clenched teeth, "Don't call me that! That's not my name anymore!"

"Temper, temper, Ryoguchi," the older man replied without raising his voice, "That was always one of your biggest flaws."

The Rogue's tightened fists were shaking with rage. This was humiliating! Having his father show up after twelve years out of the blue was bad enough, but now he was lecturing him, as if he still had the right to do so.

Stacy was the next to add to the questioning, "Um, Detective, could you please explain what's going on?"

The Rogue felt his temper slip away, and his tensed body relaxed. "Dad," he directed at the older man, "This is Dontae, the ex-Gym Leader of Viridian." He gestured at Dontae, and the older man put out his hand to shake. Dontae took it, and the two shook hands.

"A pleasure to meet you, Dontae," the man said genially, shaking Dontae's hand firmly.

"Same atcha, sir!" Dontae replied with enthusiasm.

The Rogue continued, "And this is Stacy, my current client." He gestured to Stacy, and she, too, held out her hand. The older gentleman took it, but instead of shaking it, he held it up to his lips and kissed it tenderly, making Stacy blush and giggle slightly.

"_Enchantée, chèrie_," the man said smoothly, making Stacy giggle even more. The redness in her cheeks seemed to deepen as he spoke.

As the older man released Stacy's hand, the Rogue hesitated, his loathing just barely under control, "Guys, this is Tanshin: Pokémon Trainer, living recluse, and the seed of my birth."

Tanshin chuckled softly, offering a soothing reply, "I take it the years haven't been so kind to you. You look well enough, though, Ryoguchi, I've heard that you're business is booming, and everyone trusts you."

"I told you," the Rogue replied angrily, "to stop calling me that. I haven't called myself Ryoguchi since you left, and I will not answer to it anymore!"

"Detective, please," Stacy softly spoke, "Why are you so angry at your father? Isn't there anything you can tell us?"

"Can, maybe," Tanshin answered her, "but will? Not so much. I think I understand why he dislikes me so much right now, so why don't I explain?"

"I don't think so," the Rogue said tersely, "They don't need to be bored to death by our ancient history."

"I don't know, I'm kinda interested right now!" Dontae replied sprightly.

Stacy shrugged and added, "I guess I'd like to know."

Tanshin nodded, "Then allow me to explain: My son, Ryoguchi, was brilliant, determined, and obsessed with all things Pokémon. He had numerous bits of merchandise, he spent all his allowance on PokéBalls, and he voraciously studied everything there was to know about Pokémon. He studied Types, ideal movesets, Pokémon habitats, battle strategies, you name it! And he remembered it all! It was the most amazing thing for a kid of five! So, naturally, being Pokémon experts ourselves, his mother and I encouraged his education, set on shaping him into an excellent future Trainer. We spent five years training him to be the best, and we were both so proud of him!"

The Rogue scoffed, "You must be getting old, Dad, because who could possibly forget that day of my tenth birthday? Remember, when I was set to go to Professor Oak's lab and receive my first Starter Pokémon?" He then turned to Dontae and Stacy and explained further, "It seems my father was nowhere to be found that day, and before I left, my mother, Kaiya, found a note. It said, and I quote: 'Gone to reassume my quest. Wish me luck. I'm so proud of you, Ryoguchi, good luck son. Love, Dad.' I was devastated. I was convinced that he didn't want to see me get my first Pokémon, and I hated him for it. I stopped learning about Pokémon, and instead put my talents to better use. My mother's neighbor had a Growlithe that was stolen, and I somehow got involved in the case. I solved it, though, and since then, I used my observation skills, my labyrinthine memory, and my deductive abilities to solve crimes. I vowed from that day on that I would never resume my training, and I've detested Pokémon Trainers since."

Tanshin sighed, cradling his head in his hand, "Yeah, I figured that was why you were angry. Look, son, I wish I could've told you why I left, but I couldn't then. I really can't now, actually."

The Rogue rounded on his father, "Then why bother showing up at all?! I carried on just fine without you!"

Tanshin continued, as if the detective hadn't spoken at all, "Because I wanted to see you. I wanted to know how you were holding up after your mother died."

"How dare you!" the Rogue's rage was unleashed, "You weren't even there when she died! You didn't even hear the reading of the will! What right do you have to even mention her?!"

"I sent her a Charmander when I heard she was sick. I trust she left it to you in this will?"

The Rogue was struck dumb. The Charmander he inherited from his mother, the Charmeleon that resided in his PokéBall, originally belonged to his father.

Dontae and Stacy were equally speechless, until Dontae leaned over and whispered in Stacy's ear, "This explains so much, and yet so little." Stacy could do nothing but nod.

"Oh, speaking of which," Tanshin suddenly said, then he put two fingers in his mouth and whistled. A few seconds later, a small yellow creature emerged tentatively from the bushes and joined the group on the road. It was a Pikachu; the very same Pikachu that bothered the Rogue in the Viridian Forest.

"Aww, it's so cute!" Stacy squealed, racing over to the small creature and picking it up, "Just look at you! I could just eat you up, you're so adorable!" She hugged the tiny Electric-type, snuggling it close to her face.

"Pika!" Pikachu squeaked, purring and rubbing up against Stacy with glee.

"I met this little creature," Tanshin explained, "while out on the road. It was so incredibly sad, sobbing its little eyes out. I came to it to help it, and it suddenly hugged me, as if it had known me for years. Well, when I explained who I was, I managed to get the gist of who it was looking for: a dark, mysterious human, much resembling myself. That's how I knew to find you. Apparently, this little Pikachu likes you, a lot."

Pikachu then jumped out of Stacy's arms, raced over to the Rogue, and hugged his leg, just like it had in the Viridian Forest. It squealed in euphoria and released sparks from its cheeks as it gripped the Rogue's leg tighter and tighter.

The Rogue stared at Tanshin with ever-growing revulsion. "I just can't believe you," he seethed, "You expect me to do something with this clingy little shrew, while you effectively told me that you tricked me into becoming a Trainer! How do you expect me to do anything you say anymore?!"

"Now, come on, son," Tanshin was still serene, "We both know the only one who could get you to do anything was your mother. Seeing as how she's gone, and you're a Trainer now, it seems like I hardly had anything to do with it. If anything, I just helped it along."

"Enough!" the Rogue said with insistent finality, "I'm not in the mood for any more of your 'help'. We're going to Vermilion City now, and we don't have time to stop for everything!" The detective then reached down, pulled the Pikachu off his leg, and set it back down, screaming, "WILL YOU LEAVE ME ALONE?!"

Pikachu's eyes widened in shock and fear. Suddenly, tears began to well up in its eyes, and it buried its face in its paws, sobbing loudly. Without another word, it slowly walked away, crying its eyes out, tail drooped and dragging on the dirt road.

Stacy's eyes seemed to mist as well, "Aww, the poor thing! Why did you have to yell at it like that, Detective? It was just trying to be your friend."

"Yeah?" the Rogue scoffed, "Well, I'm still trying to get rid of the first thing that started following me without my permission. Now, if we're done with this family reunion nonsense, I have a case to crack! Everybody, on the bike, now!"

The Rogue then walked briskly back to the motorcycle and mounted it. At the same time, Stacy jumped on behind him, and Dontae jumped into the sidecar. Charmander climbed onto Golbat's back, and the Bat Pokémon took off as the bike revved. On land and in the air, the group took off for their next destination, while Tanshin remained standing in the middle of the road, eyes closed and head slowly shaking.

The bike stopped in front of a small building with a ratty, overused door. The Rogue and Stacy dismounted, Dontae jumped out of the sidecar, and Golbat landed, letting Charmander down. Prepared to walk the bike through the entrance to the tunnel, the Rogue began pushing the vehicle, until all of them stopped.

Loud sounds could be heard from the other side of the door.

Charmander whined slightly and hugged Dontae's leg. Golbat tensed, flexing its wings as if ready to battle.

"Calm down, everyone," the Rogue settled the group's worries, "It could just be some battling Trainers in there. Let's keep going, it's getting close to nightfall."

It was true; the sky was beginning to darken with the coming of dusk. Everyone agreed and filed through the door one by one. The Rogue went in first, pushing his motorcycle in through the door; Golbat followed, having to wrap his wings around its body in order to fit; Dontae went next, his arms tensed and ready to battle; his Charmander followed him, shivering and turning up the heat on its tail-torch; and Stacy brought up the rear, eyes alert, dusting off her skirt as she walked. Soon, they were all inside, and were beginning their walk down the ramp that led underground. The ramp curved all the way around, and the group went lower and lower down into the tunnel; the loud sounds were getting louder.

"Guys," Stacy shuddered, "I'm really scared now. What are those noises?"

The Rogue was about to give Stacy a soothing answer, but when the sounds reached their crest of volume, he was suddenly aware that the group would be in for a difficult time.

Those sounds were motorcycle engines.

"Rogue!" Dontae admonished, "Turn that thing off! It's too loud, and the echo is killing me!"

"It's not mine!" the Rogue yelled back, for now, the sounds were deafening. The humans were now covering their ears and moaning, and the Pokémon were screaming torturously, as if begging the noise to cease. Finally, the group reached level ground, and saw the source of the engine sounds.

A gang of unsavory-looking people riding motorcycles were riding around in circles, hollering and cheering. Some of them waved metal pipes around, others swung long chains through the air. In the center of their miniature racetrack were two frightened-looking kids, a young boy and an older girl, cowering at the delinquents on bikes as they revved around them.

"No!" Stacy screamed, "Those bullies! Who do they think they are, picking on other people like that?!"

Dontae tried adding his own observations, "Bikers take their fun where they can get it! They don't care who they hurt, as long as it's fun!"

The Rogue, however, had seen enough, "Air Cutter!"

Golbat leaped up, stretched its wings out, and slashed them through the air; the air blades flew through the air, and came down hard, slashing through three of the bullies' vehicles. Two of them whined as they ceased to function, one exploded, and all three riders went flying off their rides and landed hard on the ground. The boy and girl had to shield themselves from the flying shards of metal.

Stacy raced out and took the boy by the hand, while Dontae gripped the girl's, and they urged them back up the ramp to the outside. The two yelled out their 'thank-you's' as they rushed up the ramp. By this time, the bikers had all stopped, their engines idling and their eyes all boiling with rage. Each of them reached a hand to their belts, grabbing and unclipping a PokéBall and enlarging it.

"Well!" one biker barked, revving forward a bit to confront the group, "We seem to have guests! And they decided to rob us of our fun!"

The Rogue was unblinking in his response, "Harassing helpless people just for laughs? That's got to be the lowest thing I've seen all day, and that's really saying something! But you slime are lucky I'm in a hurry, so step aside and let us pass, and I might just forget I ever saw you!"

The biker gang suddenly began laughing simultaneously. Some were rolling on the ground; others were high-fiving each other; others still were feigning fear in an overly dramatic and comical way. Stacy backed up several feet, and Dontae's hand hovered over his belt, ready to take a PokéBall if the situation called for battle. The Rogue merely stood his ground, unmoving, with a look of determination burned into his face.

After the group's hilarity ceased, the midst of the biker crowd began to stir, and from within it emerged a very corpulent biker, dressed to look like their leader, with a heavy brown leather jacket and a shiny, hairless head. He looked at the Rogue with the same determined look, a smile added to it. "So," he said in a deep, booming voice, "you got guts, knocking us around like that. You oughta know what happens to little worms who tangle with the Kanto Biker Underground. So, why don't we teach you?"

The Rogue's tone in his next words were drenched with disinterest, "This means you're gonna be in my way, anyway, doesn't it?"

The big biker laughed sardonically, "Whoo, look at that! Some more of those guts I like seeing! How about my boys find out what color they are?"

The Rogue scoffed, "It's your decision."

Dontae then stepped up next to the Rogue, PokéBall at the ready, "I'll take you scum on too! Jerks like you who pick on others for pleasure need to be put down!"

The Rogue glanced at Dontae's equally determined—and slightly angered—look, surprised that he would step up so boldly, so suddenly. He kept his focus, though, and took up his own PokéBall, ready to teach these wrongdoers a lesson.

"Wow!" the big guy laughed again, "Looks like guts and stupidity are goin' around today! Fine, then let's make it fair!" Without turning, the big guy called out, "Jaren! Ricardo!"

Two bikers emerged from the crowd, stepping forward and unclipping their PokéBalls for battle.

The big guy continued, "Lay these little creeps out. And clean up the mess when you're done; we want to keep the place clean when we take their lady friend out on the town tonight!"

Stacy gasped, and shuddered audibly, hiding behind the Rogue quickly and shivering.

Before anything else could happen, the biker's PokéBalls sprang open, and their two Pokémon were summoned. Jaren's Pokémon resembled a three-foot pile of slime with a face, and it raised its formless arms up toward the humans, as if to drag them under. It burbled a viscous growl as it did so. Ricardo's Pokémon floated in midair beside it, as weightless as air, and stared at its opponents with blank, beady eyes. It was spherical, about two feet in diameter, had large pores on its body that exhaled a foul-smelling gas, and it bore a skull and crossbones mark on its abdomen, directly under its face. It hacked and coughed before moaning, "Koffing!" Both Pokémon were purple and smelled horrific.

The Rogue turned towards Dontae and whispered quickly, "I'll take Grimer, you take Koffing." After Dontae nodded, the two quickly opened their PokéBalls. Sandshrew appeared from the Rogue's Ball, swiping at the air with its miniscule claws. Vulpix appeared next to it, staunchly still and ready for action.

The Rogue's eyes narrowed in determination. _I've failed you twice before, Sandshrew,_ he thought, _but I will not fail you now!_

Jaren made the first move, "Grimer, Sludge attack!" Grimer reacted, shaking its gooey arm at the duo and spraying its own slimy self at them.

"Sandshrew, Sand-Attack!" the Rogue responded, and Sandshrew swept the ground with its paws, kicking up a cloud of sand at Grimer. It was too late, though; the Sludge hit it directly in the face, and it stumbled back in disgust.

"Koffing!" Ricardo bellowed, "Tackle, now!" Koffing backed up several feet, then charged, as if being released from an invisible slingshot.

"No, you don't!" Dontae countered, "Vulpix, Quick Attack!" Vulpix answered the call, and launched itself at Koffing with blinding speed, knocking it out of the air and disrupting its Tackle.

"Sandshrew, follow up with Scratch!" the Rogue commanded, and Sandshrew charged, baring its tiny claws and scraping Koffing's side with them. The Poison Gas Pokémon groaned and rolled over, hacking and coughing some more.

Jaren moved again, "Grimer, Pound!" Grimer responded by slithering off, lifting its right appendage and aiming it right at Vulpix.

"Don't you dare!" Dontae barked, "Vulpix, Confuse Ray!" Vulpix obeyed, and released a whine; a spellbinding light emerged from its eyes, enveloping Grimer and befuddling it, much like the Rogue's Golbat would do. Grimer stumbled around, and struck itself in its own head repeatedly in Confusion.

Ricardo growled, "Koffing, pick up the slack with Smog!" Koffing bellowed as it released a thick, shadowy smoke from its pores. The smoke curled up, and aimed right at Sandshrew.

The Rogue responded quickly, "Sandshrew, Scratch it again!" Sandshrew nodded, and jumped bravely through the Smog, baring its claws. As it emerged from the other side of the Smog cloud, grimacing from the damage, its claws now looked different, longer, and it seemed, more powerful; they Slashed at Koffing viciously, and Koffing grunted painfully before tumbling out of the sky once again, eyes spinning in a daze.

"Nice!" Dontae congratulated, "Your boy just learned Slash!" He then turned back to the battle, "Vulpix, use Will-O-Wisp!" Vulpix then sat down, closed its eyes, and opened its mouth wide. An intense-looking ball of blue fire appeared in its throat, and with a harsh bark, the fire flew through the air and landed directly on Grimer, turning a wet, soggy part on its body into a hard, crusty and smoldering surface—the sure sign of a Burn.

"Excellent! Sandshrew, hit it with Sand-Attack again!" the Rogue followed up, and Sandshrew kicked up another cloud of sand. Grimer took the attacks, and made an attempt to fight back, but could not. Whenever it didn't strike itself in its own face in its Confusion, its attacks missed altogether, and the Burn slowing and dulling its movements didn't help it at all.

"What?!" Jaren yelled out as Grimer kept humiliating itself, "No fair! Redo! Redo!"

Ricardo had a look of shock on his face as he returned Koffing to its Ball, "What . . . what are these guys?"

Dontae cracked a cocky smile, "We're guys _you_ don't want to tangle with. Vulpix, Flamethrower!" Vulpix then threw back its head and cried out as a massive jet of red-hot flames shot from its mouth. Grimer was pelted with the flames, and it bubbled piteously as the attack ended. Like an unfinished soufflé, it collapsed in on itself, spreading out across the floor in a messy heap.

As Jaren returned Grimer to its Ball, the big guy stepped forward, "You morons! Do I have to do everything myself?!" He then took out his own PokéBall, threw it, and in a flash, his own Pokémon took to the field. It resembled a monkey wearing boxing gloves, and had a flat, wide, porcine nose sandy-brown fur all over its body. It had metal braces on its wrists and ankles, as if it had just been chained up somewhere, which could have been the case; it stomped around, screeched and grunted, and flung its arms all over in a mad fury.

"Now," the big biker said with a clear air of confidence, "My Primeape will make mincemeat out of your little doll Pokes! Mega Punch!" Primeape gave a baboon-like screech and rushed in, and before either Pokémon could act, Sandshrew had been struck with a jarring blow to the face. It flew backwards and landed on the ramp behind the group, defeated and injured.

"No!" the Rogue called out in horror. He was wrong. He had failed Sandshrew again . . .

Dontae growled menacingly, "Vulpix, Flamethrower!" Vulpix obeyed, and released another sizzling blast of flame.

"Protect!" the big guy called, and suddenly, Primeape crossed its arms in front of it, and a large, clear-blue bubble of energy surrounded it. The Flamethrower struck the bubble, the attack left no marks, and Primeape was completely untouched.

Right after the bubble faded, the big biker made the next move, "Now, use Seismic Toss!" Primeape rushed in once again, grabbed Vulpix by the neck, ran up the side of a nearby wall, and performed a back-flip, throwing Vulpix and sending it plummeting back to the ground. The Fox Pokémon was shaken, but not defeated quite yet.

The Rogue had returned Sandshrew by this time, and almost sensed what would happen before it did. The big biker said, with a growl of victory, "Thrash!"

Suddenly, Primeape went ballistic. Its screeches became deafening, and its arms and legs shot around its body, so fast, they were almost unseen. It settled its gaze on the group, and raced toward them, its fury climaxing.

"EVERYONE ON THE BIKE, NOW!" the Rogue cried out in warning, and everyone obeyed. Dontae returned Vulpix, and he and Stacy piled onto the Rogue's bike. The detective revved the engine, and the bike took off down the long tunnel, just barely escaping a swipe from Primeape's paw. Golbat and Charmander moved as well, the Fire-type climbing on the Flying-type's back, and took off down the corridor, as fast as biologically possible and as high as the tunnel would allow.

The bikers, seeing their quarry escaping, jumped on their own vehicles and rolled after them, Primeape racing ahead of them all, with Primeape's Trainer close behind and the rest of the gang following them (those who had their bikes destroyed by Golbat's Air Cutter played passenger to other bikers).

The tunnel seemed so much longer than it ought to have been, even though the chase took place primarily on motorcycles. The Rogue's bike rolled faster and faster, but it was all it could do to just barely outrun the mad Primeape. It screeched in utter rage, swiping closer and closer at the bike with each passing second. The Rogue could see the other end of the tunnel, not too far away, but saw that the aboveground exit was sealed. Completely out of options, the Rogue began to slow the bike down, wondering whether a head-on collision or a bout with a frenzied Primeape was more preferable.

Suddenly, the exit opened, and a surging blast of what looked like pure electricity shot from it. The Rogue's group ducked, then turned to see Primeape, screaming in agony as it was being electrocuted. The entire cavalcade of bikes stopped to watch; even Golbat had frozen in midair, and it and Charmander stared, slack-jawed, at the spectacle. Soon, the electricity wore off, and Primeape merely stood, woozy and smoldering after the intense shock. Another moment later, and the Pig Monkey Pokémon collapsed, defeated.

The bikers could do nothing but stare. Their greatest weapon, which had instantly defeated two Pokémon in a row mere moments before, was floored by one move.

The big biker returned his Primeape to its Ball, gunned the engine to his own motorcycle, and peeled rubber back down the other end of the tunnel. His followers did just that, following their boss down the corridor in a full panic.

The Rogue, Dontae and Stacy all stared strangely at them, glancing back occasionally to see what it was that had just saved them. After a few seconds of waiting, their savior emerged, in all of its tiny, yellow splendor: "Pikachu!"

The Rogue was dumbfounded. It was the same Pikachu that had been following him this whole time. The same Pikachu that he had so cruelly cast aside earlier that day. It had returned to save them, and had done a bang-up job doing it. Its cheeks were still sizzling from the shocking move it had just pulled.

Another figure emerged behind it, answering the unasked question, "Yep, that little thing pulled your butts out of the fire, didn't it? Quite the powerhouse for just a foot-and-a-half of yellow fur!"

The Rogue recognized that voice, "Dad? What are you doing here?! How did you know we'd be here?!"

Tanshin emerged entirely, fully visible, "You said you were going to Vermilion City, right? I knew you'd want to take the easy way, so, I went to the other end of the tunnel and waited. Not a long wait, really, so Pikachu and I are grateful for your punctuality."

Pikachu leaped into the Rogue's lap and rubbed, against him, cooing happily. Instead of being angry, the Rogue simply allowed Pikachu to stay where it was. It was the least he could do after what it did for them.

"Uh, Mr. Tanshin?" Stacy asked hesitantly, "Does this mean that Pikachu is really yours?"

Tanshin smiled and shook his head, "No. I'm just trying to bring two friends together. Those bikers would be murder for you to handle alone, so I thought the little cutie could extend the olive branch by helping you out with its Thunder attack."

"WHAT?!" the Rogue bellowed angrily, making Pikachu jump with fear and race away, "You knew those lowlifes would be down here, and you didn't warn me?!"

"Ryoguchi," Tanshin answered his son, that serene tone maintained throughout, "I had to test you to see how far you'd come as a Trainer. I couldn't very well ask you to battle, because I knew you'd say no. So, I let the Biker Underground do it for me. And I'd say you did well, my son."

The Rogue felt ashamed that he hadn't seen any of this coming. His shame grew simply due to the fact that his life had just been saved by a Pikachu. He looked at the Mouse Pokémon, and it glanced between the Rogue and the floor, upset, yet still caring enough to be kind to him.

The Rogue took a deep sigh; he could almost feel his heart bleeding. He reached into his duster pocket and produced an empty PokéBall. "If we're gonna do this," he muttered while enlarging the Ball, "let's do it right."

Pikachu squealed in euphoria, and jumped onto the Rogue once again.

"Right, first rule," he said as he plucked Pikachu off of his chest, "Don't hug me." He then offered the PokéBall to Pikachu, and the Electric-type reached out to it, as if touching gold. It pushed the button, the ball opened, and Pikachu was swallowed by a white light, the Ball taking it inside. It shook once. It shook twice. It shook three times. And it shook no more. Pikachu was captured.


	10. 10 - High Seas Shakedown

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#10: High Seas Shakedown

It was nightfall when the group finally reached the limits of Vermilion City. Boats sounded off in the distant harbor, and the lights of the buildings showed shadows inside that were still very much active despite the lateness of the hour.

The trio was now making their way to the Pokémon Center for a good night's sleep. They all walked with heavy, tired treads, and the Rogue pushed his motorcycle, exhaustion nipping at him. Golbat and Charmander both rested in the sidecar; the Fire-type was asleep, and the Poison-type had its wings wrapped around itself, eyes fluttering with fatigue. After battling a gang of raucous bikers and outrunning a mad Primeape, the Rogue was sure everyone would agree to a few hours of rest.

Stacy suddenly broke the silence amongst the group, "Umm, Dontae? Why were you so eager to stop those guys back there? It just seemed a little out of character for you, if you don't mind my saying so."

Dontae shrugged and responded, "Well, I just don't like bullies, that's all. I never did. I was picked on a lot when I was a kid, even after I got Charmander."

The Rogue spoke up next, "Your Charmander has a grudge, doesn't it?"

Stacy glanced at the Rogue's inquiry, but Dontae didn't even blink. The Rogue took this to mean that his theory was right.

"How did you know something like that, Detective?" Stacy asked in wonder.

"Simple, actually," the Rogue replied, equally simply, "Ever since Dontae began traveling with me, I noticed his Charmander had a scar over its right eye, correct?"

Dontae nodded. Charmander, walking beside him, rubbed that eye with its paw, as if remembering when it got the scar.

Stacy glanced at the Fire-Type, and her eyes widened in understanding, "Oh, I see! How come I never noticed that before?"

"The smallest details are often the most important," the detective continued, "Now, it would have to have acquired that wound in a battle, right? The next question would be, what gave it that mark? The answer: I've watched my Charmeleon battle, and its Scratch and Metal Claw attacks left similar marks in battle. My conclusion: the mark is a Scratch mark from a Charmeleon.

Dontae nodded again. Charmander, still rubbing the mark over its eye, growled spitefully.

"So, Charmander doesn't like Charmeleon?" Stacy asked with a tone that slowly understood.

Dontae nodded again, this time looking forlornly at his Pokémon friend. "Char," Charmander mumbled, its tone indicating that it was controlling a sudden temper.

"That's why," the Rogue concluded, "it has enough experience to evolve, but has not done so yet. It refuses to do so because it does not want to evolve into that which it despises so much. Cases such as those are not uncommon."

Dontae finally just burst out, "Well, I guess you just know every damn thing now, don't you, Columbo?!" With only that, Dontae rushed off, making better time than anyone in reaching the Pokémon Center. Charmander, surprised at this sudden departure, raced to catch up with Dontae, only doing so just before he entered the Pokémon Center.

Stacy's face was etched with worry, "What was that all about? That was kinda rude."

The Rogue could do nothing but sigh and shake his head. _Some company I keep_, he thought to himself as he and Stacy continued making their way towards the Center doors.

-

After a few hours of well-deserved sleep, the Rogue and company were now at a local mechanic's garage, getting the Rogue's bike fixed. Its performance since the underground chase with the bikers had diminished, and the detective was determined to keep it up to code if it was going to get him across the Kanto region in only a month. He stood next to the bike as the mechanic worked on it. Dontae and Stacy sat in chairs in the corner of the garage, Charmander sat on the floor next to Dontae, and Golbat hung upside-down on the ceiling beside them.

After the mechanic finished his repairs, the Rogue paid the man, he complained quietly about not getting a tip, and the trio went on their way again, Golbat taking Charmander for a ride again. The detective rolled around town, looking for the Vermilion City Gym, wondering what his strategy would be for his battle with the town's Gym Leader, Lieutenant Surge. Supposedly, he was a war veteran and an expert with Electric-Type Pokémon, which meant that he would most likely be tougher than Brock and Misty combined. The Rogue knew he had a type advantage with his Sandshrew, but its battle aptitude had been dismal thus far, and the detective was hesitant to use it. Even though his newly-evolved Golbat had proven its power against Misty, its Flying affinity would make it disadvantageous to use. This left his mother's Charmeleon, his battle-hungry Beedrill, and his newly captured Pikachu. Which ones he would use and what he would do with them, he did not know yet.

The Rogue bounced ideas around in his head, when before long, he stopped at a series of wooden docks before a huge expanse of ocean. Various people, all dressed opulently, were bustling toward an enormous ship that was docked in the harbor; it was adorned with affluent decorations and had people already on board, many of them arrogantly jabbering at the crew to pick up the slack. The ship itself shone brightly in stark white and bright blue, and the name of the ship was painted in vivid red letters on the bow: "S. S. ANNE".

"Wow!" Stacy awed at the sight of the impressive vessel, "That's it! That's the S. S. Anne! It's even more beautiful in person!" She suddenly gasped in realization, "Ooh, Detective! You have that ticket that Bill gave you, right? Can we go? Please, can we?"

The Rogue glanced at her awkwardly, as if she had gone crazy, "Are you kidding? We can't stop now! I need to earn the Vermilion Gym Badge, and if we don't keep moving, we won't make it to the Pokémon League in time! We can't just take a vacation now!"

"Oh, I would rethink that one if I were you," Dontae piped up from the sidecar, and pointed subtly at the boarding ramp. Two strangely-dressed men, holding their hands inside their coats, were boarding the ship, each with a suspicious look on his face.

The Rogue had seen this a hundred times before, and found himself giving another frustrated sigh. If these unexpected detours kept popping up, he'd show up at the Indigo Plateau to find a smoking pile of rubble. Still, it was his job to help people, and the way those men looked as they boarded the ship, the other passengers would certainly need help.

After a moment of hesitancy, the Rogue put two fingers in his mouth and whistled, and in a moment, Golbat dove down from the sky and landed on its new feet. Charmander, who had been riding on top of the Bat Pokémon, jumped off and scowled, sad that its ride had ended so quickly.

"Okay, here's the plan," the Rogue briefed his two cohorts, "We're going on board that ship, but only long enough to keep an eye on those guys. Whatever it is they're up to, we can stop them before things get rough, then we have the captain postpone the cruise and take us back to the docks immediately. We can't lose sight of our assignment now, but we also can't arouse suspicion. Keep your eyes open for any suspicious activity, and if those guys start something, report to me as soon as possible. Is all that clear?"

Stacy replied quickly, "Yes, sir!" Dontae rolled his eyes, but grunted his assent. Charmander saluted, and Golbat nodded, its new eyes alight with determination.

-

The opulent interior of the ship was awe-inspiring, and the group slowly ambled throughout the ship. The suspicious men who snuck on board the ship had disappeared, and the Rogue and company were keeping their eyes peeled for any out-of-the-ordinary activity. Stacy stared in wonder at her rich surroundings, her eyes dancing with glee. Dontae was systematically plucking different consumables off the buffet tables, keeping some and discreetly handing the rest to Charmander, who scarfed them down with much less discretion. The Rogue scanned the area, no detail ignored and every detail remembered. Golbat stood close beside him, eyeing the scene in the same manner and taking in more than it ever could as a Zubat.

After checking the entire room, which seemed to be the room in which most of the fancy soiree was taking place, the Rogue signaled to Stacy and Dontae to regroup. The suspects in coats were nowhere to be found, and the detective knew they would need a better strategy than to just stand around and look conspicuous. Stacy had approached, waiting for instruction, and Dontae followed, his pockets overloaded with goodies from the buffet. Charmander was last to join the group, much slower than normal, and patting its unusually heavy stomach in content.

"All right, look," the Rogue explained, "I'm starting to think this is all just a waste of time, so we'll stay only until the ship departs. That's in two hours. If nothing happens by then, I'm calling the Vermilion PD to sort it out. Now, we split up, and meet back here before the party ends."

"All right, Detective," Stacy answered, "but there's nothing wrong with having a little fun in the meantime, is there? I mean, as long as we're here—"

"No," the detective interrupted, "We can't afford to get sidetracked. Once you've passed a couple of times around the ship, meet back here so we can leave. Understood?"

Stacy sighed and nodded, not speaking any longer. Dontae shrugged as he stuffed more food into his pockets. Charmander, having a mouth overstuffed with food, grinned and swallowed heavily, cooing his consent, "Char . . ."

"All right," the Rogue turned around and addressed his Golbat, "Are you ready, old friend?"

Golbat chirruped and nodded slowly, its wings wrapped regally around its body.

With that, the group split up, as the Rogue suggested. Stacy slowly sauntered toward the cabins. Dontae heaved his slowly bulking Charmander towards the kitchen. The Rogue made his way to the Captain's cabin, Golbat gently walking behind him, uttering not a sound.

-

Dontae and Charmander arrived in the kitchen; the chefs were busily rushing back and forth and all around, moving dishes, cooking food, and cleaning the counters and floors. Charmander's tongue rolled out of its mouth as it observed the delicious treats being moved about the room, but Dontae nudged him slightly.

"Stay focused, buddy," Dontae muttered, "We need to stay sharp. No telling what sort of criminals and lawbreakers are running around here."

"'Eeey, man!" came a voice from a far corner of the kitchen, "Jou look like jou could juse a rare Pokémon!"

Dontae turned toward the voice, and saw a table in the corner of the kitchen, behind which sat a suspicious-looking man in salesman garb. He had leering eyes, a thin moustache, and a strange grin on his face. The salesman beckoned Dontae closer, presumably to show him his merchandise.

As Dontae slowly approached, Charmander tugged at its Trainer's sleeve, whining in protest. The Fire-Type clearly did not trust this suspicious character.

"Relax, pal," Dontae assured his friend, "I know what I'm doing," before approaching the table. Placing his hands on the table (after taking a few seconds to find clear areas on the surface to do so), he asked the salesman, "Rare Pokémon, you say? I'm listening."

The salesman grinned, and continued, "Jou know about Chiny Pokémon, jes?"

The man's accent was thick and over-pronounced, perhaps fake, but Dontae continued to listen, "Shiny Pokémon? Sure, I do. There's like a one in eight-thousand chance of finding one in the wild."

The salesman grinned even wider, "Well, I jus' found de secret to finding Chiny Pokémon, and I been breeding dem for weeks! Chiny Pokémon are stronger and rarer den regular Pokémon, and I wanna chare my success with de rest of de world!" He leaned in closer, his eyes slyly narrowing, "for a price, o' course."

Dontae, his face intrigued, pressed his curiosity further, "Really? Show me one of your wares, and we can do business."

With a look that seemed to repress his smug glee, the salesman plucked a random PokéBall from the table, "Jou wan' a Chiny Pokémon? Jou got eet!" He then enlarged the ball and opened it with a PANG! In a flash of light, a small, armless Pokémon stood in front of Dontae. It had short, stumpy feet and a long, flat, paddle-shaped tail. It had wide, shiny eyes and a hypnotic, black-and-white spiral pattern on its belly. It jumped up and down, kicking its little feet in midair, and squealed, "Oli! Oli! Oli!"

Dontae studied the Poliwag closely. Normally, Poliwag had watery blue skin, but this Poliwag's blue skin was much brighter, almost neon. It seemed to be raring to fight and show off its amplified abilities.

If it had them, that is.

Without a single expression on his face, Dontae took a PokéBall from his belt, enlarged it, and opened it. With a PANG, Wartortle appeared, flexing its muscles and grunting, showing off its evolved strength.

Still expressionless, Dontae commanded, "Wartortle, use Water Gun on that Poliwag."

"WHAT?!" the salesman barked, "No! Don' do that! Don' do that!"

But it was too late. Wartortle roared as it threw back its head, thrust its mouth toward Poliwag and blasted a fierce jet of water at it. The Tadpole Pokémon squealed as the water struck it hard, but after a few seconds, Wartortle's attack ceased, and Poliwag stood there, shaking water—and neon blue paint—off of its body.

Dontae glanced at the Poliwag, now revealed to be a normal one, before eyeing the tricky salesman with a look that clearly told him that his scheme was over.

The salesman panicked, gathered his 'wares' into a large brown bag, then thrust Poliwag's PokéBall into Dontae's hands. "Jou never saw me, okay?" he babbled, "Jou ain't never saw me!" He then raced from the scene, whimpering slightly and leaving a cloud of dust in his wake.

Dontae, slightly surprised at this new development, glanced between Poliwag and the PokéBall that belonged to it. After a few seconds of awkward deliberation, Dontae looked at the small Water-Type and said, "I guess you're my responsibility now."

Charmander smiled, "Char! Charmander!" and placed a friendly paw on Poliwag's head. Wartortle, still outside its ball, approached the Tadpole Pokémon and gave it an amiable punch in the side. Poliwag glanced between one and the other, then looked up at Dontae with an excited squeal of, "Oli!"

-

Stacy eagerly hid behind a buffet table, staring at another table across the room. Standing at the table were the two suspicious-looking men the group followed onto the boat. They were still casing the place, and still wore heavy coats, under which they appeared to be hiding something. They both glanced around, as if they were waiting for something to happen.

Stacy stayed at her post, suddenly realizing that the Rogue would want her to contact him if she saw anything unusual. At once, she took off her backpack, carefully opened it, and dug out her cell phone. As she flipped the screen open, prepared to dial the detective's PokéCell number, she suddenly felt a massive shift, and was knocked over by a great movement under her feet. The ship was departing.

_That's weird_, Stacy thought, her brow furrowed with worry, _the ship shouldn't be leaving for another hour_. Stacy knew then that this was a true emergency. She went back to her phone, quickly dialed the Rogue's number, and turned as she listened for the ring toward the table the suspicious men were standing around. She then released an audible gasp. They were gone.

Just as Stacy heard the click of the Rogue picking up his Cell, she felt a powerful hand slip over her mouth, and another one gripping her phone hand, making it drop to the floor. She tried to scream, but the grip was too tight, and wrestling away from it was not an option either. Behind her, she heard an incredibly loud sparking noise, as if a generator had exploded. Also behind her was a voice that roared over the sparks, "Nobody move, or the girl gets it!"

-

"Hello?" the Rogue spoke into the receiver of his PokéCell, having recognized the number that came up on it as Stacy's, "Hello? Stacy, can you hear me? Stacy!" The Rogue heard no audible answer, but instead heard the tremendous sound of an electrical surge. After only a few seconds, there was a harsh crackling sound, and the earpiece of the PokéCell emitted the sound of a dial tone. "Damn it!" the Rogue burst out, angry with himself, "I knew I shouldn't have left her alone!"

The Rogue and Golbat were in a long stretch of hallway that led up to the captain's cabin. The detective was set to interview the captain before regrouping with Stacy and Dontae, but this distressing new development required more of the Rogue's attention than anything else.

The Rogue saw the look on Golbat's face. The Bat Pokémon's eyes were resolute. It knew what had to be done as well. Unfurling its grand wings, it joined its human partner in racing back down the hallway, back to the dining area where the Rogue last saw Stacy. Faster they ran, and the Rogue could just see the entrance in sight, but something he saw made him duck down low and press himself against an inner wall in front of the entrance: a huge column of electricity being emitted from the center of the dining room.

Without making a sound, the Rogue and Golbat swept into the room, still ducked down, and hid behind the long tablecloth of a huge buffet table. Sliding carefully under the table to get a good vantage point, the Rogue saw the scene in the dining hall better; the two men that the group had followed onto the ship in the first place, were holding open sacks and barking orders at the passengers to fill them with their valuables. Most of them scared to death, the passengers relented, filling the sacks with money, jewelry, cell phones, wallets, purses, watches and PokéBalls. In the center of the room, where the column of electricity had been before, there stood a large, catlike bipedal Pokémon, colored all yellow and sporting lightning bolt-shaped stripes. It had two antennae on its head that crackled with electricity, and it growled in assertion when movement from the passengers was lacking, "Hee-leh-burrrrr!" The Rogue knew this Pokémon to be an Electabuzz, but his concern was its current companion. Clutched in the Electric Pokémon's powerful hand was the arm of a hostage: Stacy. Sparks from Electabuzz's antennae landed on her skirt, and she squealed in fear, patting them out to keep from getting singed.

Ignoring the sickness he felt at the robbers' persuasion tactics, the Rogue figured out the robbers' plan. The Rogue had felt the ship move earlier, and had guessed that someone—a member of the robbers' group in disguise, most likely—had snuck into the control room and started the engines. The rest of the group were using Stacy as a short-term hostage for their robbery, while the overall getaway plan was to hijack the S.S. Anne and use all of the passengers as long-term hostages for their escape.

The Rogue had seen enough, and had slipped back out from under the table, reuniting with Golbat. He huddled close to the Bat Pokémon and, as quietly as he could manage, the detective told his partner, "Go find Dontae, and bring him here immediately. If you run into one of the robbers on the way there, do not engage them until you find Dontae and Charmander. Understood?"

Golbat chirruped with a nod of its head and a flash of determination in its eyes.

"Good," the Rogue replied, patting Golbat's wing encouragingly "Return with safety and swiftness, my friend."

Golbat nodded again, and slowly snuck out of the room on foot, back the way the duo had come. Upon exiting, it jumped and took off on its wings down the hall, its new speed not betraying them both in the slightest.

The Rogue took to his vantage point under the table and continued to observe the robbers, formulating his counter-strategy. First: the thieves' leverage had to be removed. Freeing Stacy from Electabuzz's grasp would be tricky, but the Rogue knew how he would do it. Second, the robbers' sight had to be compromised in order to rescue the other passengers. Such a large-scale ambush required precision, tact, and the utmost care. Mentally reviewing his team, he knew that no one Pokémon he owned could accomplish both jobs at once in the way that was mandatory, and the robbers would most likely double-team him anyway. This meant the use of two Pokémon was required. With Golbat gone, and Pikachu as of yet untrained, this whittled the choices down to three. And since Beedrill had no attacks that would benefit the operation . . .

"Come on, move it!" the robber who looked like the leader shouted, making several people jump in fear, "Fill 'em up! Everything! NOW!"

The man's shorter partner, unnecessarily adding to the orders, added with a sneer, "Yep, that's right, to the top! Or else Pinky over there gets the shock of her life!"

Stacy shuddered, seeming to try with all her heart to keep from crying, and Electabuzz tugged at her harshly, as if to shut her up.

PANG!

"Huh?" the first robber turned sharply, "What was that?! Lewis, was that you?!"

"What?" the shorter man replied, offended, "Why do always blame me for sh—"

"Sand-Attack!"

At once, Sandshrew, having been sprung from its Ball in surprise, leaped out into the middle of the room and swept the ground with a paw and kicked up a cloud of sand in Electabuzz's face. The electric-type bellowed, "Heeee-leh-BURRR!", and released Stacy, using both hands to rub the dirt from its eyes.

"What the hell?!" the boss thief complained, "Who's doing that! Show yourself!"

PANG!

"Smokescreen!"

Just as quickly as Sandshrew's Sand-Attack had been, Charmeleon jumped forward alongside its comrade and exhaled a huge thick cloud of smoke that blanketed the entire room. The Rogue, just barely able to see underneath the cloud, saw that the robbers were angry and disoriented. Beckoning his two Pokémon back towards him as he moved out into the center of the room, the Rogue instructed them quickly, "Guide the people out of the dining room, guys! I'll be with you in a minute!"

"Char!" Charmeleon growled with an acknowledging salute, and Sandshrew winked as the two carried out their Trainer's orders. Peering through the smoke as well as possible, the Rogue caught a flash of pink, and moved in. Just barely dodging the angry Electabuzz's blindly thrown fists, the Rogue grasped Stacy's arm and raced out of the first exit with her in tow. Once in the smoke-free hall, Stacy, who had had her hand over her face for safe breathing, took it off and smiled joyously.

"Oh, Rogue!" she squealed, hugging the detective tightly, "I knew you would save me, Rogue! I knew you wouldn't let me down!

After they separated, the Rogue quickly reached into his duster pocket and pulled out his PokéCell, thrusting it into Stacy's hands, "Quick! Go out to one of the outer decks, call the mainland and tell Officer Jenny to send some police boats! If you run into Dontae, stick with him, okay?"

"Right!" Stacy nodded, and raced back down the hall, a blur of white and pink.

-

Dontae and Charmander swiftly made their way to the ship's control room. After feeling the ship move less than ten minutes ago, Dontae had had a feeling something major was going down, and he had to make it to the control room to find out what. The duo moved as fast as their legs would move them, and within minutes, the door to the control room was within reach. A few more seconds, and Dontae's hand would be on the knob . . .

CRASH!

Dontae and Charmander were both knocked over by a flash of blue and purple, and were sent to the ground in a heap. Charmander had rolled over several times, and several black spots were left in the red carpeting from its fire-tipped tail.

"All right!" Dontae cawed angrily, "Who has the gall!" He looked around wildly, looking for the idiot who knocked him to the ground, and saw something on the ground in front of him. A Golbat. The Rogue's Golbat.

The Bat Pokémon sprang to its feet and began screeching madly in its own language, flapping its wings and gesturing toward the end of the perpendicular hallway it had come in from.

Before Dontae could make any sense of Golbat's ranting, Charmander approached the Poison-type and began to reply to it, "Char, char! Mander-char?!"

Golbat screeched a response, flapping its large wings again.

"Char-char, charmander?"

Golbat screeched again, gesturing toward the hall again.

Dontae, unable to speak the two Pokémons' respective languages, managed to get the gist of what they were talking about—the Rogue and Stacy were in trouble. Prepared to follow Golbat back to its Trainer, Dontae froze when he heard a doorknob turn, and spun around to see the control room door swing open. From the other side stepped a reedy-looking young woman dressed in the same heavy coat that the Rogue's suspects wore on their way inside the boat. In her arms, she held a crewman's uniform, looking like it was recently worn. She took one look at Dontae and the two Pokémon, and her face grew panicked. She pulled a PokéBall from her pocket, enlarged it, and deployed a Pokémon into battle. It was a light tan in color, with beige fur in front, long whiskers, and a large set of front teeth.

"A Raticate!" Dontae labeled it, "Seems like these guys were prepared. Charmander?"

The Fire-type jumped to its Trainer's aid, its tail-flame swelling and intensifying.

"Gonna need your help here, little buddy. You ready?"

Charmander nodded with a determined grin, and turned to face Raticate in battle. Both Pokémon bared their teeth and growled at each other, eager to battle.

-

The Rogue raced back into the dining room, where the smoke was just beginning to dissipate. The passengers had been safely ushered out of the room, and Charmeleon and Sandshrew were now engaging the two robbers' Pokémon. The boss was controlling Electabuzz, while his partner, Lewis, had deployed a Growlithe, a small canine Pokémon with brownish-red fur, beige fur on its underside and black stripes on its back and legs. Electabuzz was hurling arcs of lightning at the Rogue's duo, while Growlithe shot jets of fire from its mouth. So far, due to the Rogue's earlier Sand-Attack-Smokescreen ambush, both Pokémon's moves were highly inaccurate, but still a danger if left unchecked.

The Rogue finally took command of the battle, "Charmeleon, use Metal Claw, and Sandshrew, Slash!" Both Pokémon obeyed, and both of their claws lengthened, with Charmeleon's gaining a silvery metal coating. Both Pokémon rushed into the fray, with Sandshrew swiping Electabuzz harshly and Charmeleon raking Growlithe hard.

"Grrr!" the boss growled, "Don't think you can ruin this heist for us, Cop! We were paid good money to rob this old crate, and we're not gonna stop now!"

"Relax, boss, I got this!" Lewis assured confidently, "Growlithe, use Bite!"

Growlithe howled ferociously and charged, aiming its bared fangs at Sandshrew.

The Rogue thought quickly, "Charmeleon, Growl!" Charmeleon leaned forward and released a loud Growl, emitting visible sound waves at Growlithe. They struck before the Bite did, and Sandshrew managed to wave off the attack easily.

"Damn you, Cop!" the boss robber roared in anger, "Back off our operation! Electabuzz, use ThunderPunch!"

"Heeee-leeh!" Electabuzz bellowed again, throwing a hard punch at Charmeleon with a fist that seemed laced with static power. Charmeleon braced itself for impact, its eyes burning with determination.

"Sandshrew, intercept!" the Rogue called out, and Sandshrew answered, jumping into Electabuzz's path and catching its fist with its tiny claws. Its Ground-type affinity's natural immunity to Electricity saving it, Sandshrew threw back Electabuzz's arm, making it stumble backwards several feet. Sandshrew smirked at the Electric Pokémon and formed its right paw into the 'bring-it-on' gesture.

The boss was fast, as well, "Now, Thunderbolt! Teach that rotten cop a lesson!"

Electabuzz's antennae buzzed with energy, and out from them surged a massive bolt of electricity. With no time to react, Charmeleon was struck full force with the blast. It took the strike without collapsing, but its skin sizzled, and it appeared to be in severe pain. Each time it made a move to counter-strike, it found that it could not, and moaned in agony when it did, "Char, charmeleon!"

_Damn!_ the Rogue growled to himself, _Paralyzed!_ Knowing this would put him at a disadvantage, and not wanting Charmeleon to be hurt any further, the Rogue extended its PokéBall and returned it. Sandshrew was now alone on the battlefield, being backed into a corner by Growlithe and Electabuzz. With a missing Golbat, an incapacitated Charmeleon, and an inexperienced Pikachu, the Rogue was at a loss for a strategy. Having no other options, he prepared to send in Beedrill, knowing Growlithe had an advantage over it.

"Growlithe, Take Down!" Lewis commanded before chuckling haughtily, "Now, Cop! For spoiling our heist, you're gonna feel some serious pain!" Growlithe moved in closer, obeying its Trainer's command, and raced in to plow harshly into Sandshrew.

Suddenly, a forceful jet of water struck Growlithe in the side, and the Puppy Pokémon fell over, compromising its aim and making Take Down miss. The Fire-type rolled across the floor several feet from the force of the blast.

"You mean like that?"

The Rogue turned toward the voice, and saw Dontae standing triumphantly in the hallway, Charmander standing next to him proudly and Golbat behind them both. In front of Dontae stood a small blue Pokémon with wide eyes, no arms, and a black-and-white spiral-shaped pattern on its stomach. It eagerly slapped its tadpole-like tail against the ground and cooed a victory cry, "Oli, oli, oli!"

Not wanting to know where Dontae procured a Poliwag, the Rogue welcomed this new game-changer, and rounded on the robbers, ready for a comeback. "Sandshrew, Poison Sting!" he commanded, and Sandshrew answered, launching a flurry of poisonous needles from its claws. The needles struck Growlithe fiercely, and it yelped as the sharp projectiles struck it. After shaking away the needles, it cringed as if its guts were in pain, and began exhaling purple Poison clouds.

"Nice!" Dontae congratulated, then followed up, "Poliwag, hit it with your Water Gun again!" Poliwag slapped its tail against the ground again, and blew another ferocious jet of water at Growlithe. It howled again as the water struck it, but it did not move further; the Poison was still eating away at its health.

"Grrr!" the boss looked livid, "You'll pay for interfering! Electabuzz, ThunderPunch!"

"I'll help, boss!" Lewis added, "Growlithe, Leer!" Growlithe's last move was to give Poliwag a wicked stare, projecting an eerie yellow light onto the Water-type from its eyes. Electabuzz's first move on the Tadpole Pokémon saw it racing across the room and knocking its opponent back with a static-laced fist. Poliwag grunted, the filmy coating on its skin bubbling and sparking, but steadied itself, ready to come back. After Electabuzz's hit landed, Growlithe seemed incapable of going on; the Poison seemed to sap the last of its health, and its legs buckled underneath it before it collapsed, defeated.

Dontae followed up quickly as Lewis returned his fallen Pokémon, "Now, Poliwag, use DoubleSlap!" Poliwag ran into the fray, hardly waiting for the command, and jumped up into Electabuzz's face, slapping it repeatedly with its stubby feet.

"Heh-be-be-be-be-be-be-be-be-beleh!" Electabuzz could hardly growl coherently as Poliwag slapped its face five times before landing. It grinned confidently before jumping back several feet.

The boss's face grew redder and redder with anger, ""Electabuzz, Swift!"

Electabuzz roared as it aimed its palms at both Poliwag and Sandshrew, "Hee-leh-BURRRR!" Star-shaped rays of light, similar to the one utilized by Misty's Starmie, flew from its hands and instantly struck both Pokémon. Neither, however, seemed distressed; Electabuzz was tough, but the Water-type and the Ground-type both seemed to know that quitting wasn't an option.

"Poliwag!" Dontae commanded quickly, "Use Hypnosis!" Poliwag stood staunchly still as the spiral on its belly began to slowly spin. Electabuzz saw it, and its eyes began to grow dreary and heavy.

"NO!" the boss crowed, knowing what was coming if that move succeeded, "Electabuzz, Quick Attack!" Gathering itself temporarily, Electabuzz rocketed across the field at blinding speed, knocking Poliwag back with an elbow. Poliwag rolled backwards several times, but surprisingly enough, it righted itself, and stood at attention, ready to fight.

Electabuzz, however, did not.

The mighty Electric-type had suddenly collapsed on the field, soundly snoring away in a deep sleep. A large bubble formed on its nose, which inflated and deflated with each harsh breath.

Both the Rogue and Donate reacted quickly to this new advantage:

"Water Gun!"

"Slash attack!"

Poliwag moved first, spraying the snoozing Electabuzz with another jet of water. Electabuzz rolled over twice, but was otherwise unshaken by the attack. Sandshrew then made its own move, and ran toward the Electric Pokémon with its claws lengthening to strike. The Mouse Pokémon forcefully raked the sleeping Pokémon with its dangerous weapons, and Electabuzz was thrown back even further by the force of the blow, flying through the air and landing directly on top of its Trainer. The boss grunted and collapsed under his unconscious Pokémon's weight.

Seeing that the battle had finally concluded, Lewis glanced between the Rogue, Dontae and the boss, and put his hands up with a doleful, "I give up."

The Rogue made his way toward the hall to greet Golbat, and the two met with a friendly shake of hand and wing. As the Bat Pokémon flew to join Sandshrew in keeping watch over the thieves, the detective then turned to Dontae genially, "Thanks for the save, kid. I owe you one."

"Yes you do!" Dontae sneered playfully as he returned his Poliwag to its Ball, "So, where's Stacy?"

"She's calling the mainland for help," the Rogue answered, "We'll need it for cleaning up these scum."

"Oh, speaking of which . . ." Dontae announced, and he turned toward the inside of the hall, returning with what seemed like another of the robbers, a reedy young woman who appeared to be sopping wet. "This one tried to make a stand, but I made quick work of her," Dontae said proudly as he guided her into the dining hall to join her group mates. She scowled at Dontae scornfully, but winced with each step she took, and the Rogue noticed why: her jeans appeared to be scorched, and the backside of them appeared to be missing altogether, leaving a revealing hole edged with black char-marks.

Before the robbers were reunited and tied up, the Rogue confronted Dontae away from them to avoid a scene, "You set . . . a suspect . . . on FIRE?!"

Dontae grinned, "Well, she was resisting! Besides, I put her out, didn't I?"

Charmander, observing from behind, rubbed the back of its neck with a paw, appearing to look guilty for some reason.


	11. 11 - A 2,000-Watt Battle

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#11: A 2,000-Watt Battle

A little over an hour had passed, and the police boats had arrived, hooking up to the S.S. Anne and delivering uniformed officers on board. Stolen goods were redistributed, statements from witnesses were taken, and the robbers were roughly shoved off the ship in handcuffs, thrown into police boats and shipped back to Vermilion. Their Pokémon had been confiscated, and their process through the Pokémon Redistribution Program had begun. Stacy was wrapped in a blanket, trying to keep from sobbing as the Officer Jenny of the Vermilion PD took her statement.

The Rogue and Dontae were surveying their brave Pokémon. Golbat, Charmeleon and Sandshrew stood at attention before the detective, while Charmander, Wartortle and Poliwag stood in a line before the younger Trainer.

"Guys," the Rogue summarized, "You're courage and ability were top-notch today. No one, not even a Trainer, could be prouder of you than I am now. Excellent work." Golbat and Charmeleon nodded in affirmation, and when they noticed each other doing so, growled at each other. Sandshrew merely postured, rubbing the back of its claws against its chest and blowing on them, as if boastfully polishing them.

"Same goes for you, fellas," Dontae echoed the same praise, "Great job. And way to earn a spot on the team, Poliwag!"

Charmander grinned as it looked back up at Dontae, "Char, char!" Wartortle grunted and flexed its muscles, and Poliwag jumped up and down, slapping its tail on the floor again.

By this time, Stacy was through speaking to the police, and had joined the boys again. The Rogue returned Charmeleon and Sandshrew in a flash of laser light, and Dontae did the same with Wartortle and Poliwag. "We'd better get moving, guys," she said as she approached them, her voice still somewhat shaky, "Kaine won't wait forever."

As if shaken back to the present, Dontae added quickly, "You're right. This little detour took way too long. We'll never stay on schedule at this rate."

The Rogue, fighting back the guilt he felt for slacking off on this most important case, concurred, "We're going to have to get some rest once we get back to the mainland. We'll need sleep before moving out for the next town, and in our present state, there's no way I'll be ready for the Gym Leader. Once we get back to the docks, you guys get some rest at the Pokémon Center, and I'll get in some extra training before I join you. All right?"

Stacy nodded, seeming to still be dazed by today's events. Dontae and Charmander did the same, accompanied by a long yawn from the Fire-type.

-

In the dead of night, the Rogue's training was about to finish. Up north, by a small inlet of water, the detective was developing the skills of his newly captured Pikachu. The yellow rodent Pokémon squared off against a Meowth, a small, catlike Pokémon with beige fur, long whiskers and a golden, coin-shaped pendant on its head. The Scratch Cat Pokémon leaped, screeching as it attempted to Scratch Pikachu.

"Use Thunder!" the Rogue called out.

"Piiiiiiii . . ." Pikachu cried, its cheeks sparking with massive amounts of electricity, "Kaaaaaaaa . . ." the power it emitted spread over its entire body, and overhead, the clouds began to rumble, " . . . CHUUUUUUUUUUU!" The tiny Electric-type unleashed a massive bolt from its body, the strongest the Rogue had seen from it thus far, and it arced toward the feline Pokémon. Meowth yowled in agony as the electricity coursed through its body, and when the power surge ceased, Meowth was still, defeated. The Normal-type slowly got up, singed fur still emitting smoke, and grumbled all the way off into the bushes.

The Rogue was thoroughly impressed. He had never seen so much strength come from such a small Pokémon. Its emotions could still be toned down a bit, but the Rogue knew that, with proper training, Pikachu's awesome power could be a great asset to him.

After settling its power level, Pikachu raced to the Rogue and grabbed his leg, hugging him tenderly, "Pika! Pika, Pikachu!"

The Rogue sighed, cradling his forehead between his finger and his thumb, and managed to force out his gratitude, "Well done, Pikachu. Let's call it a night."

Pikachu whined and looked up at the Rogue with shiny, sensitive black eyes. It seemed as though it didn't want to stop playing with its friend.

The Rogue sighed again, and took out Pikachu's PokéBall, "I'm sorry, little one, but we have to get some rest before we face Lieutenant Surge tomorrow. He's gonna be tough, and we need to be rested before going into battle." Without another word, the Rogue returned Pikachu to its Ball in a flash of red light. The Rogue knew that, while Pikachu's unparalleled strength would be an asset to him, unless it took care to control its emotions, it would only prove to be a liability.

-

The Vermilion City Gym was not like any the Rogue had seen before. While it did sport the logical yellow color scheme for an Electric-type Gym, the far end of the Gym was blocked off by a massive door that seemed to crackle with electricity. The Rogue had heard about Lieutenant Surge's cautious nature, and knew that this door (which was reinforced by another door behind it) was a test to make sure only the toughest, smartest Trainers made it to face off with the Lieutenant.

The test was simple, yet difficult: find the hidden switches that deactivate the electrically-powered doors.

Dontae didn't seem to think it was possible, "What the hell kind of Gym is this?! Why would a Gym Leader have to complicate things by installing mind puzzles into the Gym?! It doesn't make any sense!"

"Relax, Dontae," Stacy coaxed him, "I'm sure the Gym Leader has a good reason for setting all this up. It may look hard, but I don't think it impossible. We just gotta find out what to do, that's all."

The Rogue said nothing, and almost grinned to himself. He walked further inside the Gym so suddenly, the rest of the group hardly noticed. Quickly, Dontae, Stacy, Golbat and Charmander followed him into a large maze of what appeared to be wastepaper baskets. The group kept following the Rogue until he suddenly stopped, putting both arms up horizontally to stop them, as well. He turned left, and the others turned left. He stopped again, and he stopped the others again. He made a sharp turn and walked toward the electrified door, stopped quickly in front of it, then turned away again, and the others followed again. Occasionally, he would pause, making the others give him strange looks, then continued this irregular pattern for a few more minutes at a time. After nearly fifteen minutes of this, he finally stopped, knowing that his group (at least Dontae) would be complaining any minute now. He held out his hands in front of him, hovered them over a nearby waste bin, and after a few seconds, reached inside, grabbed something, and pulled.

At once, there was a great rumble, and the first electrically-charged door slid open entirely. There was hardly any time for anyone to say a word before the Rogue had repeated the process on an adjacent bin. He reached inside and pulled, and the second door slid open with a great rumble.

The detective looked back at his cohorts, and smiled at their reactions. Dontae was wide-eyed, Stacy looked wildly impressed, and Charmander's mouth was agape. Golbat merely stood, a knowing grin on its exceptionally large face.

After a short pause, Dontae spoke up, "How did you do that?! And why did you have to keep the rest of us in the dark? Honestly, could you be a bigger show-off?!"

The Rogue rolled his eyes and started toward the opened door, and the rest of the group followed him. Through the doors, inside was the same elevated area that served as the Gym Leader's chamber of the building. On top of this construct was a tall, muscular man wearing camouflage fatigues, dark sunglasses, and a pair of army tags around his neck. His blond hair was styled in a crew cut, which he overconfidently slicked back as the group walked in.

"Ten-hut!" the man suddenly bellowed, making everyone (except the Rogue) stand erect, "Welcome to my Gym, civilians! State your name and business!"

The Rogue scoffed, but proceeded without a smart-aleck response, "I'm a detective from Viridian City; they call me the Rogue. I'm on an important case that requires my presence at the Indigo Plateau. I request a battle with you for your badge."

"HAH!" Lieutenant Surge mocked, "Moving along kinda slow, ain't ya, kid? The Plateau tournament starts in less than a month! You ain't plannin' on gettin' there with all eight badges by then, are ya?"

"I must insist you abide by Pokémon League regulations, Lieutenant," the Rogue said calmly, keeping his temper in check, "I challenge you for your badge, and you accept. Or should I bring this up with the officials at the Plateau?"

Surge removed his sunglasses, his eyes slightly wide, "Well! Someone's certainly got guts! I guess anyone who solves my door puzzle as quickly as you did deserves my attention! How'd you figure it out so quick, anyways?"

After glancing at Dontae and Stacy and seeing the sudden intrigued looks on their faces, the Rogue gave a slight smile; he thought Surge would never ask.

"Quite simple, really," he explained, almost haughtily, "the electric current connecting the switches to the doors runs underground. In a quiet enough setting, the vibrations can be felt through the feet. After following the current, it was easy enough determining where the first switch was. And since the two switches' connection to the door is made more effective by placing one right next to the other, it was a simple process of elimination from there."

Stacy marveled at the Rogue's deduction skills, "Wow! That was so cool, Detective!"

Dontae crossed his arms angrily, "Well, I wish you would've told us that!"

Surge, however, was only mildly impressed, "Hah! Not bad, kid, not bad! But you'll have to do better than that to beat me in battle!" He then produced a shrunken PokéBall from his belt and enlarged it, "These here Electric-type Pokémon saved me during the war!"

The Rogue's eyebrows went up, "Indeed?"

"That's right!" the lieutenant went on, "They shocked all my enemies straight into paralysis! Same as I'll do to you!"

The Rogue's eyebrows sunk into a determined glare as he produced his own PokéBall, "That remains to be seen."

Surge returned the detective's determined stare, and threw back his arm, prepared to throw. "Voltorb!" he commanded as he chucked the Ball into the air, "Report for duty!"

PANG! The Ball opened, and in a flash of light, a Pokémon took to the field that uncannily resembled the device from which it was summoned; spherical, with red on top and white on the bottom. The only differences: it stood nearly a foot-and-a-half off the ground, it had no button mechanism, and it had two sharp, wicked-looking eyes. It buzzed and spun around on the spot, showing off for its foe.

The Rogue enlarged his own Ball with the push of a button, opened the Ball, and with a PANG!, Pikachu was on the field, in all its adorable yellow glory. It turned around and jumped up into the Rogue's chest, hugging him gleefully, "Pika, pika!"

The Rogue held back a disapproving groan and plucked the static rodent from his body. "Now, look," he directed at Pikachu, turning it around to face him, "We discussed this, little one. No getting distracted. You have to battle for me now. Can you do that?"

Pikachu smiled and sparked its cheeks, "Pikachu!"

The Rogue frowned, "I'll take that as a 'yes'." He then set the Electric-type down and faced the battlefield, and Pikachu did the same, racing out to greet Voltorb in combat.

"HAH!" Lieutenant Surge laughed again, "Tryin' to be a copycat, eh? Let's see how far it gets you! Voltorb, get down and give me a Tackle!"

Voltorb emitted a buzz that sounded oddly like it would've said, in English, 'Sir, yes, sir!" The Ball Pokémon then began to roll, with blinding speed, toward Pikachu.

The Rogue, having scanned Voltorb with his PokéCell just before Surge made the first move, commanded Pikachu's next move, "Pikachu, use Mega Punch!"

At once, Pikachu raced at Voltorb at nearly the same speed on all fours, took a flying leap forward, and aimed a tiny, balled-up paw at Voltorb. On the way, Pikachu's balled-up paw seemed to whiten with massive amounts of energy. The Tackle and Mega Punch met in the air, and Voltorb was knocked back, flying uncontrollably until it hit ground, when it started rolling uncontrollably. As if reversing gears, Voltorb spun forward, kicking up a cloud of dust and emitting a screeching stop, and rolled forward again, upright by the time it came back into the battlefield.

Pikachu landed with surprising grace on its feet, and shook its paw in pain. Apparently, the Tackle took its toll, but was not enough to keep the electric mouse down.

"Voltorb, unleash a Sonicboom!" the lieutenant ordered. Again, Voltorb gave three rhythmic buzzes, and then spun around again, this time much faster. So fast, this time around, the very sound of its body brushing against the air seemed to be magnified by ten-million. Voltorb then suddenly stopped spinning, launching the visible tornado of sound at Pikachu.

The Rogue responded quickly, "Pikachu, Double Team!"

Pikachu obeyed just as quickly, and, as if running back and forth at a law-defying speed, its little body seemed to split in two, creating two mirror images of Pikachu. Both Pikachu jumped out of the Sonicboom's path, but one of them didn't make it in time, and was struck full-force by the massive sound wave.

It phased through Pikachu's body as if it were nothing.

Stacy turned to Dontae, a look of confusion evident on her soft features, "Wow, that was creepy. What just happened, Dontae?"

Dontae commented on the maneuver, "Whoa! It hit the wrong one! Pikachu's Double Team increased its likelihood to dodge attacks! Now that it has a double, moves like Sonicboom lose that much more effectiveness!"

Stacy smiled and turned to cheer the detective on, "Way to go, Rogue! You've got him on the run, now!"

Surge didn't miss a beat, "Voltorb! Back-to-back Sonicbooms, soldier!" Voltorb answered with three drill-army-style buzzes, and spun around in blinding circles again. One right after another, a visible vortex of ear-splitting sound was launched at Pikachu and its Pika-double. Effortlessly, both of them dodged and ducked from the paths of the attacks, but the Rogue knew it couldn't keep dodging forever. Quickly, he thought of a maneuver, and was just in time to execute one; the real Pikachu was nicked in the side by an oncoming Sonicboom.

"Pikachu," the Rogue commanded, "Surround it and launch another Mega Punch!"

"Pi-kaaa!" Pikachu growled, and at once, it and its facsimile raced into the fray, each one taking a close position beside Voltorb. The Ball Pokémon did a double-take before being hit with another fierce punch, and was sent flying skyward.

The Rogue followed up quickly, "Now, use Slam!"

Pikachu nodded, and sprang up into the air after Voltorb. The Mouse Pokémon spun in the air, somersaulted, and slammed Voltorb harshly with its tail. Both Pokémon fell from the air quickly, and Pikachu brought Voltorb down with a mighty crash, "Ka-Chu!"

In a few moments, the dust settled, and Voltorb lay still, on its side, eyes no longer visible and looking as lifeless as the Ball it was kept in.

Stacy hopped up and down and clapped, "Yes! One down and two to go! Keep it up, Detective!"

Dontae did not add to the celebration, "He's not out of the woods just yet. I'm sure the good lieutenant is just getting warmed up."

Lieutenant Surge returned his Voltorb, and replaced its Ball with another from his belt, "Well, now, looks like I'd better clear the landing area for this one!" Surge enlarged the Ball and threw with gusto, "Pikachu, report!"

PANG! The flash of light went off, and when it quieted, a second Pikachu entered the battlefield. It was nearly identical to the Rogue's Pikachu in every way, except for its tail, which ended in a much sharper point, and its expression, which was deathly serious.

The Rogue gave a distinct scoff, "Who's trying to be a copycat now?"

"Pikachu!" Surge made the first move again, "Agility! March!"

Pikachu nodded, and suddenly vanished. Without warning, a small, yellow blur ricocheted around, this way and that, dazing the Rogue's Pikachu and making it waver on the spot. The Rogue knew this was no trick or illusion; this was pure speed. Agility was turning Pikachu into a little fuzzy speeding bullet.

"Use Slam, Pikachu!" the detective called out, and Pikachu obeyed. Or, at least, tried; taking as careful aim as it could, the Rogue's Pikachu jumped, spun, and slammed down on the lieutenant's Pikachu. But it was all for naught; the Gym Leader's Pikachu was far too fast, and the Slam attack just barely missed.

"Don't aim at where it is!" Dontae cawed from behind the detective, "Aim at where its going to be!"

"Keep your comments to yourself!" the Rogue bit back, still attempting to piece together a decent plan.

Surge made a quick follow-up, literally, "Now, use Quick Attack!" With the same blinding speed, Surge's Pikachu sprang forward, covering the distance between it and its foe in mere seconds and knocking the Rogue's Pikachu back with a tiny elbow.

The Rogue processed a way to outmaneuver the Gym Leader's speedy Pokémon, when he noticed something; Surge's Pikachu, after landing from its last move, began to moan in pain, its body locked up and unable to move.

"Paralyzed?" Stacy put the confusion of the turnaround into words, "But how? Rogue's Pikachu didn't even land a hit yet."

"Static," Dontae clarified, "Pikachu's Ability. When the foe uses a move that makes direct contact, Static has a chance to paralyze the attacker instantly."

The Rogue quickly used this new development to his advantage, "Pikachu, Thunder attack!"

Pikachu eyed its Gym Leader counterpart with a combination of anger and frustration. It had clearly had enough.

"Piiiiiii . . ." Pikachu charged up power, its cheeks sparking, "Kaaaaaaa . . ." the Mouse Pokémon's coat sizzled with electricity, and a clear rumble of thunder sounded off from outside the Gym wall, "CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

The blast of plasmatic energy surged across the room, striking the paralyzed Pikachu head-on, making it squeal in pain and blackening patches of its yellow fur. The monstrous Thunder ceased, and Surge's Pikachu collapsed instantly.

Surge seemed blown away, "No way! A one-hit KO! And against another Electric-type, too! That little soldier o' yours packs a wallop, son!"

The Rogue couldn't help but hold back his own surprise. Pikachu's emotions ran high in this battle, but if this was the extent of its power during such an episode, it may have been a wise idea not to suppress its emotions, but to teach the little Pokémon how to control them.

The lieutenant returned his own Pikachu to its Ball, "I'll bet you're feeling pretty confident now, aren't ya, Private?"

The Rogue returned with a sneer, "That's the idea, Lieutenant."

Surge sneered back as he detached his last PokéBall, "Well, that idea will get you killed, soldier. Know your enemy before charging into the war zone." With that, he enlarged the Ball, and threw it with a bellowing command, "Raichu! Front and center!"

With another PANG!, the Gym Leader's third Pokémon appeared. It looked like a bigger, stylized Pikachu, with orange fur instead of yellow, a yellow spot on each cheek instead of red, and had longer, curlier ears and a longer, thinner tail, almost resembling an extension cord. On the end of its tail was a sharp-looking lightning-bolt design, which swished back and forth dangerously as Raichu glared at Pikachu, taunting it with a voice that only sounded like a deeper version of Pikachu's, "Rai-rai-raichu!"

This time, the Rogue made the first move, "Pikachu, Mega Punch!" Pikachu charged in, aiming its tiny fist at its evolved form.

"Raichu, Thunder Wave!" Surge responded quickly.

Raichu cackled haughtily as a wave of electric energy pulsed from its body, "Rai-rai, Raichu!"

Before Pikachu could turn away, it was struck with the eerie static wave, and its attack was compromised. It stopped in its tracks, every move it attempted to make only causing it pain. It too, was Paralyzed.

"Now, use Body Slam! Forward, march!" Lieutenant Surge commanded.

"Chu-rai-chu!" Raichu responded with mechanical quickness. Then, hefting its weight airborne, it zoomed across the field, slamming its lesser form down with a tremendous crash.

"No!" the Rogue yelled in aggravation, then fell back on a different strategy, "Double Team again!"

Pikachu obeyed as quickly as it could, and began its move. The double from its last Double Team reappeared, and both Pikachu split in two, creating four altogether.

"Stale move, soldier," Surge taunted, "Raichu! Shock Wave!"

Raichu grinned when a coat of electricity covered its body. It thrust out its stubby paws, and the wave expanded, becoming a series of rings of electric power that rotated and created a globe shape, resembling a gargantuan atom. The Shock Wave continued to enlarge, and the Pika-clones were all caught in the wave, but only one actually felt the damage, and cried out as it was flung backwards.

"No," Dontae mumbled, his voice crestfallen, "Pikachu's finished. Shock Wave ignores accuracy and evasion modifications. It always hits, no matter what."

"What?!" Stacy gasped, astounded that there was a chance the Rogue could lose, "No! Pikachu, hang on!"

Surge followed up quickly, "Now, Thunderbolt, soldier!"

Raichu's power charged again, and it made a mighty call as it hurled a bolt of electricity at Pikachu, "Raaaaaai . . . . CHUUUUUUU!" The sizzling arc of plasma struck true once again, ignoring the three Pika-copies.

The Rogue felt himself being slowly cornered. Desperate for a way out, he switched back to the offensive, "Pikachu, Slam!"

"Raichu, Body Slam!" Surge countered quickly.

Pikachu bravely raced toward its foe. It was still weak, but more than willing to fight. It jumped as high as it could manage, spinning and readying its move. Raichu raced in as well, and met Pikachu's Slamming tail with a powerful full-body pound. Both moves blasted the Electric fighters back, but Pikachu was injured the most from that face-off. As it landed, it fell to one knee and began panting hard.

Before the Rogue could make another move, Surge ended the battle, "Shock Wave!"

Raichu bellowed as it emitted another atom of electricity, and Pikachu was struck once again, dead-center. It flew backwards and landed right in front of the Rogue, still and defeated.

"No!" the Rogue called out, bitter regret edged in his voice, and ran out onto the field to check on his Pokémon. He knelt down beside it and took it into his arms, and Pikachu stirred, waking slightly. It looked up at the Rogue, and tears began filling its eyes. It buried its plump face into the Rogue's jacket and began to cry; as it did, sparks from its cheeks arced outward and struck the ground, peeling paint and blackening the Gym floor.

Before any more damage could be done, the Rogue produced Pikachu's PokéBall and returned it, assuring it just beforehand, "You were very courageous, my friend. I'm sorry it had to end this way." His determination flared with the loss of his Pokémon, the Rogue stood, walked back to his end of the field, and wordlessly summoned his next Pokémon with a PANG of a PokéBall. In a flash of light, Beedrill took to the field, stabbing the air and buzzing angrily.

"A Beedrill, huh?" Surge smirked, "Well, no plan's gonna help you now, jarhead! Raichu, Thunder Wave!"

"Beedrill, Twinneedle!" the Rogue responded quickly, and Beedrill obeyed, swiftly buzzing forward and jabbing Raichu with its left stinger just before the static wave hit. Another stab with Beedrill's right stinger, and the damage was done to both combatants.

"Raichu, Shock Wave!" the lieutenant called out, and Raichu emitted the same atom-shaped electric pulse that defeated Pikachu. Beedrill was struck hard, but not defeated; it furiously jabbed at the air, as if swearing vengeance on Raichu.

"Beedrill, come back with Fury Attack!" the detective ordered, but Beedrill was already on the way over. It struck Raichu with its left stinger. Raichu was thrown upward, and Beedrill met it on the way down with another jab from the right. It repeated this once more before Raichu landed on its feet, hurt and irritated.

Surge was beginning to get irritated as well, "Raichu! Show the enemy your Body Slam!"

"Another Twineedle!" the Rogue answered, and both Pokémon struck each other with their attacks again, Raichu's striking first, then Beedrill's piercing Raichu and knocking it back.

"Now, use Fury Attack again!" the Rogue commanded. Beedrill tried to move, but it buzzed in aggravation when it could not. It dropped to the ground, its body locked up in Paralysis from Raichu's Thunder Wave.

Surge moved in for the kill, "Raichu, Thunderbolt! Forward, march!"

"CHU-RAI-CHU!" the mighty Mouse Pokémon responded, and launched its sizzling electric arc at Beedrill. Unable to escape, Beedrill took the attack as it made to stand up again, and after the move subsided, the Poison Bee Pokémon collapsed again. It had fainted.

"I gotta admit, kid," Surge relented, "You're givin' me a run for my money. But no soldier ever fought for his country by quittin'!"

As the Rogue returned Beedrill to its Ball, he realized that the lieutenant was right. When facing Brock and Misty, he had become discouraged far too easily. If this was the time for that to happen, the Rogue ignored it, and his resolve strengthened. Bravely replacing Beedrill's PokéBall with his third one, he threw, and with a PANG, Sandshrew appeared. It crossed its arms and stared at Raichu, chittering pitiably, "Wh-thiw, wh-thiw", as if Sandshrew wished it had a far stronger opponent.

Stacy smiled brightly. "Of course!" she praised, "Sandshrew's a Ground-type! Ground-types are immune to electricity! He's gonna win after all!"

Dontae replied earnestly, "You forget, Sandshrew's track record thus far has not been pleasant. If it had more experience, the Rogue would definitely win, but now it could be anybody's game."

"Anybody's except yours, Private!" Lieutenant Surge laughed haughtily, "If you think Type can win you this battle, you've got another thing coming! Raichu, Body Slam!" Raichu hastily obeyed, zooming at Sandshrew full force and striking it with its very girth. Sandshrew was knocked back by the force of the move, but still managed to agilely land on its feet.

"Follow up, soldier!" Surge added, "Body Slam!" Raichu moved in, ready to strike.

The Rogue made a quick command, "Defense Curl!" Sandshrew obeyed, curling its body into a perfect sphere and gaining a faint white glow. Raichu's Body Slam struck, and the damage was greatly reduced.

Surge growled, his options slowly dissolving, "Back-to-back blitz, Raichu!" Raichu obeyed, hitting Sandshrew multiple times with unrelenting power.

"Sandshrew, Sand-Attack, then Defense Curl!" the Rogue commanded, and Sandshrew swept its paw against the ground, kicking up a cloud of sand at Raichu just before its next Body Slam landed. Raichu veered off course and missed its target, but when it prepared to strike again, Sandshrew was already even more fortified. The next successive Body Slams did very little damage, if any at all.

"Raichu!" Surge called out with a combination of fury and anxiousness, "What is the matter with you?! On your feet, soldier!" Raichu stopped and stood up straight, then everyone saw what the matter was: Raichu's breaths were coming out in purple clouds.

"Raichu's Poisoned?" Stacy questioned, "But Sandshrew hasn't used Poison Sting yet. How did that happen?"

"It must have been Twineedle," Dontae replied, a tinge of awe in his voice, "Beedrill's Twineedle has the potential to Poison. It must've done that just before it fainted!"

The Rogue smiled in pride for all his Pokémon, before reinforcing his strategy, "Another Sand-Attack-Defense Curl combo, Sandshrew!"

"Wh-thiw-thiw!" Sandshrew gave its Trainer a thumbs-up, and kicked up another cloud of sand at Raichu before forming a ball and strengthening its Defense once again.

Raichu angrily sparked its cheeks, then launched another series of Body Slams. Few of the strikes even landed, and the ones that did had almost no effect at all. With each successive failure, Raichu's health deteriorated, and the pain in its face grew more and more evident.

Until Sandshrew tried to move, and found that it could not.

The Rogue saw that Sandshrew was Paralyzed, a side effect of the relentless Body Slams. Knowing a quick ending was now mandatory, the Rogue took the last move he could make, "Now, Sandshrew, use Slash attack!"

Sandshrew, bravely bracing itself from the pain of movement, raced toward the oncoming Raichu, and Slashed it with its claws just as it struck. "CHAAA-aaa-AAAAAaaaa!" Raichu screamed in agony as the claws raked its skin. Finally, the Electric titan was flung to the ground by the force of the attack, rolling over until its momentum ceased. It propped itself up, attempting to get up, then after a few tentative seconds, its arms gave way, it fell back down, and Raichu moved no longer.

"YES!" Stacy congratulated, jumping up and down as she squealed, "You did it, Rogue, you did it! You really did it!"

Dontae grinned, "I have to admit, that was pretty cool. Good job, Pendergast."

The Rogue merely sighed with relieved exhaustion, and went to return his Sandshrew. Before he could, though, a glow made him shield his eyes, and he looked to see that the glow was coming from his Sandshrew. Its form shrouded in white light, its form changed back and forth rapidly, soon almost blindingly, then in a burst of sparkles, the evolved form of Sandshrew stood proudly, a foot taller than before. Its yellow hide was replaced by yellow fur and dark-brown spikes all over its back. Its claws grew to be so long as to take up the entire hand on either side, which was the same for the claws on its feet. Its black, beady eyes glinted, then it released a victory cry, "Wh-shash!"

The Rogue smiled at his newly evolved Sandslash, and resumed returning it to its PokéBall, saying just beforehand, "Excellent job, my friend. Take a rest, now."

Lieutenant Surge, having returned his Raichu, stepped toward the Rogue, an excited grin on his craggy features, "Well, that was a shocker! You're the real deal, detective!" He then produced an object from his front pocket; it was orange and octagonal, with each side sporting a yellow point on the outside and making it resemble a star.

The Rogue smiled again, his pride and confidence growing with each second. _And the ThunderBadge makes three,_ he thought, _Look out, Kaine. I'll be at the Indigo League Tournament before you know it. And when I find you, you're going down._


	12. 12 - Getting a Rocky Spark

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#12: Getting a Rocky Spark

The motorcycle roared as the Rogue gunned the engine, speeding down a long dirt road that ran parallel to a small river. In the river, just ahead of the group, riding atop a large shellfish Pokémon with long, purple spikes all over its body, was Verdus. Flapping eagerly next to the master thief was his Golbat, which the Rogue was dismayed to see had evolved from Zubat, just as his own had done.

"Come on, Copper!" Verdus taunted, keeping his balance in the water, "My Cloyster is hardly breaking a sweat!" He then laughed that annoying roller-coaster laugh that vexed the Rogue so badly.

"STOP! POLICE!" the detective bellowed, his rage driving him more than duty, or even justice. Ever since Cerulean, the Rogue was eager to catch Verdus and wash away the stain on his criminal apprehension record. Having to take the Underground road to spend the night in Cerulean, the Rogue was not surprised to see Verdus back at work the next morning, stealing from a nearby house that was known for being robbed in the past. Not even warning the rest of his group—even his Golbat—the Rogue took off after the thief alone, determined to catch him. He had to catch him. He had to fix his mistake.

Verdus continued to cackle gleefully as his Cloyster jumped and hopped as it Surfed through the water. The Rogue sped up, his bike putting in top speed. Occasionally, Verdus turned Cloyster around, and the Bivalve Pokémon swam backwards while opening its shell and firing an icy blue beam of light at the Rogue. The detective wheeled out of the direction of the Ice Beam, only to be fired upon again by a series of spikes launched at bullet speed from Cloyster's shell. The Rogue dodged Ice Beam after Ice Beam and missed the series of Spike Cannons, keeping his focus on Verdus, and what his smug face would look like behind bars.

In a moment of desperation, the Rogue took a PokéBall from his duster and summoned Pikachu from inside. It landed in the sidecar, and it screamed fearfully when it saw the perilous situation they were in, "Chaaaaaaa!"

"Don't panic, little one!" the Rogue assured it, "I need your help! Use Thunder on that river, and hurry!"

Pikachu's eyes were wide with fright, but it obeyed, and charged its ultimate attack as clouds rumbled overhead. "Piiiii . . . Kaaaa . . . CHUUUUUU!" the tiny yellow creature unleashed its electric fury.

Too late.

Verdus had aimed a PokéBall down and returned Cloyster out from underneath him, gripping his Golbat's leg just before touching the water and soaring away, just missing a licking jolt of electricity.

Verdus kept laughing excitedly, "Keep trying, Copper! Practice makes perfect!"

"NO!" the Rogue cried out in furious frustration and gave the engine another boost, "It's not over, Verdus! Pikachu, shoot him down with Thunder!"

Pikachu whined slightly, but obeyed again, launching a series of monstrous, blistering bolts at the escaping crook. Verdus's Golbat was far swifter, though, and it dodged every single shot as it came. Verdus swung back and forth as it did so, laughing as if that was what excited him, and not the fact that he was stealing from innocent people and getting away with it. Again.

After one last searing Thunder sailed past the escaping thief, the Rogue saw that the river curved ahead of them, cutting off the road suddenly. Verdus's Golbat carried its Trainer over the water and over a high ridge in front of them, disappearing from view and escaping once again.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" the Rogue bellowed wrathfully, making the entire mountainous area echo with his anger. He leaped off of his bike, collapsed onto all fours and bashed the dirt road repeatedly with his fist, not noticing that after a while, he was bleeding. After the fifteenth time had made his hand completely numb, he ran back to his motorcycle and kicked the sidecar repeatedly, until the entire construct came off with a CRACK! Now, his foot was sore as well.

Pikachu, who had been in the sidecar before the Rogue kicked it, had jumped out and ran several feet away. The Rogue's sudden temper seemed to greatly upset it, and it began crying again, burying its face into its paws and sobbing loudly. Like before when its emotions were out of control, Pikachu's cheeks emitted dangerous arcs of lightning that tore up the ground around it.

"Oh, don't start with me!" the irate detective barked, "You know damn well it's not your fault! It's me, okay? I'm a failure! I can't catch that lowlife Verdus to save my life! The only thing you should blame yourself for is shacking up with an incompetent detective!"

At this, Pikachu only seemed more upset, and began to cry even louder. The sparks it emitted grew in size, and were now so powerful, they began leaving deep craters in the ground.

"So, I take it he got away again?"

The Rogue turned to see that Dontae, Stacy, Charmander and Golbat had arrived, each with a different look on their face. Dontae's look was admonishing; Stacy's was filled with worry; Charmander looked panicked, as Pikachu's power continued to fluctuate; and Golbat looked depressed, as if feeling its partner's pain.

Stacy raced over to Pikachu, braving the sizzling electric arcs it emitted, and took the little creature into her arms, calming it down and making its cries softer, and its power surge lessen. She hushed it and cooed lovingly to it, and Pikachu became so calm that, after a few minutes, it was asleep.

"What did you do to poor little Pikachu?" Stacy rounded on the detective, "Don't blame it for this! It tried its best, but Verdus still got away! That's not its fault!"

"Don't you dare sit there and judge me!" the Rogue snarled as he returned Pikachu to its Ball right from out of Stacy's arms, "You're not a cop! You're not even a Trainer! You're just a worthless tag-along, and if I wanted to, I could dump you back in the Viridian Forest where I found you!"

"Rogue!" Dontae yelled over the detective's fury, "Don't take this out on Stacy! Verdus got away, pure and simple! It's nobody's fault! Nobody should take blame for anything, except you for losing your temper and taking it out on us! Look, I'm sorry this little vendetta of yours hasn't been fulfilled yet, I really am! But I'll be damned if you're gonna take it out on Stacy _or_ Pikachu!"

The Rogue glowered at Dontae's audacity, teeth gritted and fists clenched. Dontae simply glowered back, his eyes as fiery as Charmander's, as it was making the same face. All of them continued to stare angrily at each other, only stopping when Golbat stepped between the two humans and held up the Rogue's injured hand. It gestured at it and chattered, concern deep in its voice.

The Rogue sighed, "Don't worry, it's nothing." Golbat wasn't in agreement, and insistently nudged the Rogue's arm with its wing. Clearly, the Bat Pokémon would not give up until it knew its partner was well again.

The Rogue cradled his head with his good hand, and sighed in deep frustration. "All right, fine," he said, achieving calm for the first time in hours, "I'll get patched up first, then we can move on. Anyone have a first-aid kit?"

Dontae shrugged, "I didn't think we'd need one for people. I've got Potions and other such things, but they're only for Pokémon injuries."

Suddenly, Stacy slipped off her backpack and threw it at the Rogue, making him sidestep to avoid being hit. "Here!" she screamed at him, her face red with anger and her eyes glistening with tears, "But you're gonna have to do it yourself! I'm just a worthless tag-along, right!?" She then stomped away toward the entrance to the Rock Tunnel, her sobs not well-hidden by her indignant fury.

Charmander had raced off to catch up with Stacy, and after a brief, awkward pause, Dontae glanced over at the Rogue and quietly muttered, "Nice one, Poirot. You just let our witness get away."

The Rogue scoffed, "She'll come back when she finds out the Rock Tunnel is closed."

"What?" Dontae arched an eyebrow, "How do you know that? We didn't even pass a sign!"

"Simple," the Rogue replied with his usual investigatory haughtiness, "Check the tire tracks in the road. There's a set going to and from the entrance to the tunnel, and the set going toward it is deeper than the set that's leaving. The tires are to a hauling truck of some kind, and the depth of the tracks suggests it was hauling something on the way there, and did not leave with it. Also, there are wood shavings sprinkled all over the ground in this area, the same kind of wood used for signposts and other such quickly-thrown-together objects. This means the load consisted of wood, but the tracks' depth suggests too much wood for just one sign. And posting more than one sign in one place is impractical. My guess is, the wood was used to board up the entrance of the tunnel to humans."

Dontae had been scouring the area to see the details the Rogue had pointed out, and when he realized that the detective was right, appeared to be thinking of some way to refute his argument. All he managed to gather was, "That's just conjecture! You'd need some hard evidence to back that up!"

A mere three seconds after Dontae had uttered these words, Stacy came back into the area, holding hands with Charmander, but still looking upset. She glanced at the boys as she saw them looking her way, and she answered them sourly, "Okay, just because the tunnel's closed, doesn't mean I'm in any better mood! I'm still mad at you, Detective!"

The Rogue turned and arched an eyebrow, as if challenging Dontae to argue his observations any further. Dontae did not, but he scowled in reply.

"But what I wanna know," Stacy added, her voice still shakily upset, "is who would want to seal off the tunnel and why?"

"That would be my doing."

The people and Pokémon turned toward the voice, and saw a man sauntering toward them from the river, upon which floated a small boat. The man wore a yellow uniform, a hard hat, and a tool belt.

Stacy was the first to address the man, "Who are you? And why did you seal off the Rock Tunnel?"

"I'm afraid I'll have to explain on the way," the man said with regulatory quickness, "I must ask that you come with me, Detective. There's an emergency down at the Power Plant."

The Rogue raised an eyebrow, keeping his frustration hidden. Another useless detour? He had already used up four days out of the month he was given, and he was not going to risk repeating his mistakes with Kaine the way he had with Verdus. Verdus was the only criminal who had ever escaped from him. The Rogue was determined to keep it that way.

However, the Rock Tunnel was currently the only way of getting farther through the Kanto region, what with the Saffron toll booths closed for simultaneous construction. The Rock Tunnel was the only way to move on to Lavender Town, and if it was sealed off, there would be no moving on. This meant that, if that seal would come off the Rock Tunnel soon, the Rogue would have to help this engineer first.

With all the options weighed, the Rogue calmly replied, "Take me there, and we'll figure this out."

The Rogue, Dontae and Stacy were now getting off the small boat that led them downriver to a small alcove, where the Power Plant resided. The building was moderately sized, with a red, yellow and white paintjob, and sported four large smokestacks. The smokestacks, however, were not working; Bernie, the engineer who had approached the Rogue for his help, had said that power had to be temporarily shut down in the plant due to this as-of-yet unrevealed situation.

The Rogue studied the building carefully, ignoring the twinge of pain in his now-tended hand. Golbat did the same, catching every detail with its advanced eyes and ears. Dontae was checking the ground as they walked, no doubt looking for the same kind of details that the Rogue had pointed out earlier while at the entrance to the tunnel. Stacy was silent, still scowling from the Rogue's earlier comments. Charmander held its tail up close to its face to avoid it being doused by the splashing river water.

Bernie the engineer led the way to the entrance of the building, and the group followed. The Rogue was fully prepared to solve whatever mystery was given to him. Anything that helped him get closer to finding Kaine and stopping him was worth stopping for, even if it meant risking the time he was given. Apprehending Kaine was all that mattered. In the Rogue's mind, nothing else came close. Not his training, not his badges, not even the people and Pokémon he interacted with mattered in the long run. It made things simpler that way.

_And that's all,_ the Rogue concluded his thoughts as the group entered the building.

The outside did no justice to the inside in terms of size; the interior of the Power Plant was tremendous, almost all unused space, with various computers and control panels built into the walls. Many engineers, dressed in the same uniform as Bernie, were hustling and bustling along, fiddling with the computers and writing notes on clipboards. In the center of the room, cordoned off by a series of waist-high railings, was an enormous generator that was inactive due to the power cutoff.

"As you can see," Bernie started explaining, "our staff has not stopped working since the cutoff. We strive to maintain efficiency here at the plant, no matter what the hardship."

"Yes, that's all well and good," the Rogue ho-hummed, eager to get this case over with, "but would you mind explaining to me why you cut the power in the first place?"

"Oh, yes! Of course," Bernie realized, and continued, "Well, you see, there have been odd readings in power output over the last few days. We ran the data, and found a power output deficiency. With all systems checking out normally, we concluded that somehow, someone was siphoning power from the plant."

"Hmmm," the Rogue pondered the situation. A power thief? This would be nothing if not intriguing.

"We've been all over the building looking for the siphoning port," Bernie continued, "but there doesn't seem to be one. We don't know how this thief operates, but he is very good. If this crisis continues, the Magnet Train will never—"

"Did you find a calling card?" the Rogue anxiously interrupted, figuring his first suspect right away, "Something that the thief may have left behind? Maybe one with a black 'V' on it?"

Bernie seemed thrown off by the question, but answered it, "Why, no, Detective. Should we have?"

The Rogue held back a disappointed sigh. _I certainly wish you had,_ he thought to himself. Putting his thoughts back on the case, he continued to ask questions, "How long has this been going on?"

"Well," Bernie replied, "the power deficiency started about a week ago, but we've only just now made measures against it, now that we know the situation." We've locked down the building. No one enters or leaves without authorization."

The Rogue processed his options, or lack thereof; with no suspects (that his hope for revenge against Verdus didn't provide), and hardly any evidence, there might as well have been no indication whatsoever that anything illegal had happened here at all.

Another engineer had walked up to Bernie at this time, "Hey, we need some spare parts from the loading bay, but the door is locked. You got a key?"

"Oh!" Bernie turned his attention away from the group, "Okay, why don't you let me handle that? I'll get the part you need." Walking away with the other worker, he made one last quick comment to the detective, "Let me know how the investigation goes!"

The group then began glancing back and forth amongst themselves, trying to make sense of this case with the little presented to them. The perpetrator behind the power siphoning, whoever he was, covered his tracks very well. But the Rogue was not about to let anything stop him. Verdus was the only criminal to escape him; he would make that the exception. The _only_ exception.

"You think it was Verdus, don't you?" Dontae sneered, breaking the Rogue's thoughts.

The Rogue eyed him blankly, but didn't respond.

"Of course he does," Stacy snapped, directing it more at the Rogue than to anyone else, "He can hardly think of anything else. Failure does that to people."

The Rogue stared daggers at Stacy, but did not say anything in fear of exacerbating her temper. "Believe me, I wish it was him," the Rogue confessed, "But I've seen his work. This isn't his style, and he always leaves a calling card. If this guy has been getting away with this power theft for several days undetected, it has to be an inside job. An outsider would have been caught by now, or at least the workers would have taken preventive steps earlier."

Golbat nodded, agreeing with the Rogue's summary. The look on Charmander's face told that it either had no idea what the humans were talking about or it didn't care.

"Inside job?" Dontae repeated, "I guess that would make it easy. But who works here that would want to siphon power?" He pondered for a moment before adding, "And wouldn't that be considered stealing from work?"

"I'm not sure," the Rogue replied, studying the various power plant engineers that bustled around busily, working to their fullest extent given the circumstances. The Rogue then had an epiphany. According to the worker who took Bernie's attention, there was at least one locked door in the building. And in the Rogue's experience, a locked door meant more to investigate.

The Rogue glanced over at where the loading dock door was located, and saw Bernie slipping out from behind it. Bernie turned and closed the door, but before the door was fully closed, a sound emitted from inside the room that made the engineer jump. He looked back inside the room, and disappeared within it again. After five minutes, he reemerged, and quickly and quietly closed the door before returning to his duties.

"Hmmm," the Rogue was intrigued, and made his way to the loading dock door, making the whole group suddenly follow him.

"Hey!" Dontae grinned as they moved along, "This mean we're getting somewhere, Crockett?"

Stacy scoffed behind them, "Who cares?"

The Rogue ignored them both, intent on finding out who or what was hiding behind that door. He signaled for the rest of the group to stay behind, and stepped toward the door, which got larger as the distance between them was reduced. Once in front of the door, he saw that it had yellow-and-black striped caution tape in front of it and a sign that read: AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY. Immediately, the detective set his mind to work. Only a worker of the plant could get inside, and the Rogue would easily draw suspicion if he simply asked up front for entry. He couldn't risk one of these workers being in on the crime. This called for a subtle touch. A sneaky touch.

_Knock-knock-knock_!

Several people looked around to the loading dock door, but saw no one there. There were several glances before they all went back to work.

"Hello?" someone called from behind the large door, "A little help here? Someone got a key?"

More glances, accompanied by a few muttered comments, before one of the engineers spoke up, "Someone open up the loading dock door, please?"

Bernie, one worker who had a key, walked back over to the loading dock door, unlocked it, and looked inside for whoever had asked to be let out. He looked inside, and glanced all over the inside of the room, as if the person he was letting out had disappeared. He walked inside and inspected the area all around, saying "Hello?" to draw someone out. After the third insistent "Hello?" echoed back, the engineer shrugged, turned around and walked back out of the room, closing the door and locking it behind him.

And the Rogue was in.

It was relatively simple sneaking in after Bernie and hiding behind the door until he left. The tricky part was giving him a reason to unlock the door. He was glad his ventriloquism was convincing; throwing his voice to make it sound like a trapped worker was ingenious, if he said so himself. Setting self-congratulations aside, the Rogue made his way silently through the dark loading docks, scrutinizing every nook and cranny for anything out of the ordinary.

The large loading dock was spacious and drafty, many large metallic shelves lined with machine parts that were either resting in cardboard boxes or covered in plastic. A large garage-like door was set in the far wall, causing a slight breeze from the outside. Nothing unusual so far. It seemed like the perfect place to hide something, but there was nothing here that seemed usable for rerouting energy, or anything capable of receiving it, for that matter. Still, the Rogue looked on, knowing that the door could be unlocked and opened at any time, and that there were hardly any places to stay hidden. It was getting to be more and more unlikely, though; the Rogue had searched the entire room, and there was not so much as a trace of life.

Until a bright light went on in the corner of the room.

The Rogue did a double take when he noticed the bright yellow light. It flickered on and off in an irregular pattern, and it was accompanied by an unusual sound, like a wounded animal. Whether it was human or Pokémon, the detective could not tell, but it was definitely related to the case; there was no doubt. Tiptoeing quietly toward the sound, keeping hidden by the metal shelves, the Rogue slowly saw the direction from which the light was being emitted, and saw another door leading into another section of the loading dock. The flashing yellow light was coming from behind the door, and could be seen around the edges of the doorframe.

Willing to stake his career on that light being where the siphoned power was going, the Rogue continued to tiptoe toward the door. Closer and closer, inches away, he reached out a hand to the doorknob.

ZAP!

A jolt of electricity struck the doorknob, making the Rogue quickly withdraw his hand. Without turning around, he spoke to the one responsible, "It's over, Bernie. You can't keep this up forever."

Behind him, the Rogue heard Bernie's nervous voice, "I can't let you go in there, Detective. Authorized personnel only."

"Enough," the Rogue replied sternly, "There's no need to keep up the pretense. It's obvious to me by now that you are the one siphoning power from the plant."

There was a protracted silence, then Bernie's voice was heard again, "How did you find out?"

The Rogue revealed his knowledge in his usual way, "Well, first of all, it was a little strange that you would just happen to show up at the Rock Tunnel entrance the second I did. Too much of a coincidence for me. I'm guessing that when they suggested the entrance be sealed, you volunteered in order to divert suspicion. Secondly, your quickness to help someone get into this room told me that something was in here that you didn't want that person to see."

The Rogue heard Bernie groan behind him. Apparently, he was aware of the rookie mistakes he'd made in trying to look innocent.

"Furthermore," the Rogue continued, "I was aware that this was an inside job from the start. The fact that you said there was no siphoning port led me to believe that whoever did it used an Electric-type Pokémon, which engineers such as yourself are known to use." The Rogue slowly turned around to see Bernie, looking breathless and agitated. Floating next to him was an unusual-looking Pokémon, spherical and gray, and adorned with small screws and sporting two large magnets on either side. The Rogue smiled when he found he was right, "A Magnemite. I thought so."

Bernie continued to ask for answers, "But how did you think to look in here?"

The Rogue had to keep from rolling his eyes and scoffing at such an easy question, "Well, any locked door in any criminal case means answers. That only increased my suspicions when I saw other workers coming to you for the key to this door. I've seen workers moving through this place for a while, and have not seen a single one use this door unless they come to you first. Why would you have the only key? And why would you want to go into this room instead of letting people find what they need themselves?"

Bernie looked down at the ground in shame; Magnemite stayed floating next to him, unmoving. "And the person stuck inside?" Bernie continued questioning, "I take it that was you?"

The Rogue nodded, "I had to be sure my suspicions weren't just speculation. But when I saw you unlock this door to make sure no one had found you're little hiding place, they were confirmed."

"It isn't my hiding place," Bernie corrected, "That's why I can't let you open that door!"

"Bernie, it's over!" the Rogue repeated, "I found you out! It's time to pay for what you've done!"

But Bernie seemed unwilling to surrender, "Magnemite, Thunder Wave!" Magnemite obeyed, and emitted a web of static electricity aimed directly at the Rogue. The detective dodged, and quickly produced a PokéBall from his duster, summoning Charmeleon with a PANG!

"Charmeleon, Ember!" the Rogue commanded, and the Fire-type launched a flurry of hot embers from its mouth, striking Magnemite hard and knocking it out of the sky.

"Magnemite!" Bernie countered, "Use Thunder Wave again!" Magnemite emitted another static wave, this time at Charmeleon.

"Another Ember!" the Rogue commanded, and Charmeleon repeated its fiery attack. Both attacks struck, and Charmeleon's body was locked up painfully. Magnemite, however, being a Steel-type and weak to Fire, collapsed on the spot, defeated.

Bernie recalled his Magnemite and summoned another, a flash of white and a PANG! accompanying it. His instincts moving a mile a minute, the Rogue recalled his Charmeleon and produced another PokéBall. In a flash, Sandslash took to the field, swiping its claws and staring zealously at its foe.

Bernie seemed thrown off by this sudden swap. He knew just as well as the Rogue did that a Ground-type would be difficult to defeat with a Magnemite.

Still, he tried, "Use Sonicboom!" Magnemite spun around, the sound of its spinning body astronomically magnified, and launched a furious tornado of sound at Sandslash.

"Sand-Attack!" the Rogue ordered, and Sandlsash obeyed, sweeping its long claws against the ground and conjuring a large cloud of sand that blanketed the Magnet Pokémon. It's Accuracy reduced, Magnemite's Sonicboom missed its mark, and Sandslash remained unhurt.

"Use Tackle!" Bernie commanded, and Magnemite flew in, aiming its body at Snadslash for a full-contact attack.

"Defense Curl!" the Rogue responded, and Sandslash curled its body into a large ball, its dangerous-looking back-spines gaining a faint white light. Magnemite bounced off of Sandslash's tough hide, its attack causing little damage, if any.

"Now, use Slash!" the Rogue followed through, and Sandslash sprang back into form and leaped forward, Slashing its Steel-bodied foe with its lethal claws. The attack did little damage at first, but Magnemite still groaned in pain; the strike was Critical.

The Rogue was prepared to make another move, but before he did, Magnemite disappeared, returned to its Ball. "Okay, okay!" Bernie conceded, "I give up! You win! I guess I'll have to explain myself."

With a tired sigh, the Rogue returned Sandslash in a flash of laser light, and curtly quipped, "That would be nice."

Bernie sighed guiltily and walked toward the door that emitted the flashing light, "You wanna know why I've been stealing power from the plant?" He then opened the door, stepped inside and beckoned the Rogue to do the same. When he did, Bernie gestured to the middle of the room and said simply, "This is why."

The Rogue looked at what Bernie gestured at, and nearly gasped. Taking up nearly the entire floor was an enormous avian Pokémon that was emitting yellow sparks and screeching in pain. It had sharp yellow-and-black plumage and a long, skinny and sharp-looking beak. It looked as though it was too weak to move, but also in deep discomfort, and it screeched again as it attempted to move.

The Rogue's jaw dropped. "It's," he whispered, not able to believe what he saw, "it's . . . it's a Zapdos!"

Bernie nodded, "I found it while I was laying down some cables behind the plant about a month ago. It had collapsed, and I couldn't figure out why it was so weak. I ran a full analysis of its physiological status, and it appeared to be medically unharmed. After a few days of nursing it to health, I found that it still had no strength to move, even at full health. I theorized that it might be because of a plasmatic deficiency, so I used my Magnemite to siphon electrical energy from the Power Plant's generator a little at a time. But after they found the power output was low, and they asked to cordon the area, I had to take the job to avoid suspicion. And when I came back from sealing the tunnel, they asked me to bring the police or you, and I knew if I ran, they'd know it was me. And I just couldn't leave Zapdos like this indefinitely."

The Rogue studied the pitiable Electric-type thoroughly, pondering whether Bernie's reasons for committing this crime were noble enough not to warrant an arrest. Eventually, though, the detective merely pushed it out of his mind and produced a solution, "You could have told someone, Bernie. Any one of your co-workers probably would have been more than willing to help."

"I don't think so," Bernie reasoned, "Zapdos probably wouldn't have trusted another human because I had been treating it for so long. Besides, I've already tried giving it straight jolts of power with my Magnemite, but it just isn't enough. I don't know a single Electric Pokémon strong enough to give Zapdos the energy it needs to live on its own."

The Rogue smiled instantly when he heard this, "I think I do."

-

The Rogue, Dontae, Stacy, Golbat and Charmander were now in the clearing in front of the Power Plant, surrounded by Bernie's fellow plant employees. Bernie had explained himself, and it was decided that no criminal charges would be filed. Zapdos had been tentatively carried out of the plant's loading dock and out into the clearing, so that the Rogue could enact his plan. Stacy was soothing the irritated bird by slowly stroking its plumage, and the Rogue had just summoned Pikachu.

The Mouse Pokémon was still emotional from its failure to capture Verdus; it began sobbing almost immediately after it was deployed.

"It's all right, little one," the Rogue assured it, "We all make mistakes. I know I certainly do. But I need your help, okay? Can you help your big bird friend over there for me?"

Pikachu's ears twitched inquisitively, "Pika?"

"Just trust me," the Rogue continued to soothe the little yellow creature, "Zapdos won't hurt you. It just needs to be recharged a little. Can you do that for me?"

Pikachu glanced between the Rogue and the legendary bird, which was still being caressed carefully by Stacy. It seemed to slowly realize that there was nothing to fear, and excitement sparked it its little red cheeks, like it always had before.

The Rogue smiled warmly, "Good, now give it all you've got, little one. One good Thunder ought to do nicely."

Pikachu nodded, and gently sauntered up to Zapdos, still a bit tentative, and reached out a paw to Zapdos's jagged yellow plumage. The Electric bird cawed gently, assuring Pikachu that there would be no negative consequences. Pikachu smiled, jumped back, and its entire body became coated in electrical energy. It was readying for a Thunder attack.

Stacy moved back quickly as a sudden gathering of clouds overhead began to rumble. "Piiiiii . . ." the Mouse Pokémon growled viciously as its power was channeled, "Kaaaaaaa . . . . . CHUUUUUUUUUU!"

At once, a titanic bolt of sizzling electrical energy emerged from Pikachu's body, and Zapdos was struck head-on by the blast. It wasn't in any pain, though; rather, it was slowly more and more able to move as it absorbed Pikachu's massive energy output. After only a few seconds, Zapdos got up onto its feet, folded its wings, and screeched triumphantly.

Dontae, Stacy and the engineers cheered, and Pikachu shortly joined them as its power slowly wound down. Zapdos bent down low and thanked Pikachu by gently nudging it with its beak. Pikachu hugged the large bird and squealed in glee, "Pika-pika, Pikachu!"

Bernie looked at Zapdos, analyzing its movements before making an observation, "It's back up to full strength now, but it will be a few more hours before Zapdos can fly again." He then observed Zapdos and Pikachu getting along so well, and grinned knowingly, "I think it wants to thank you for all you've done for it, Detective. At least it seems grateful to Pikachu."

The Rogue knew exactly what he wanted Zapdos to do in return, and walked up to it as it played with Pikachu. "Zapdos," the detective called to it, and the Electric Pokémon turned its large head toward him, "We need to get through Rock Tunnel into Lavender Town. I don't suppose you could provide us with a little light?"

Zapdos kept its gaze on the Rogue for a few seconds, as if considering this request. It then made an agreeable caw and nodded.


	13. 13 - A Bedtime Backstory

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#13: A Bedtime Backstory

After trekking through the Rock Tunnel for the rest of the day and well into the next, the Rogue, Stacy and Dontae were exhausted. Golbat's wings dragged against the ground, and Charmander groaned, its tail-flame small and weak. Zapdos, the legendary bird Pokémon whose assistance the group had earned hours before, was back to full strength. While exploring the Rock Tunnel, the group had their path lit for them by Zapdos' brilliant electrical power. When it emerged from the cave, it cawed loudly and stretched its wings, which were now usable again.

Stopping for a moment to rest from pushing his now-fuel-devoid motorcycle, the Rogue looked at the grand avian creature with gratitude, "Thank you, my friend. If you ever need us again, don't be afraid to come to us."

Zapdos cawed gently, and gestured to the Rogue's duster with its beak. Apparently it wanted to say goodbye to a friend before leaving.

"Oh, I see," the Rogue realized, "Okay, let me bring it out for you." He then produced Pikachu's PokéBall from his duster pocket, enlarged it, and opened it with a PANG! Pikachu appeared in a flash of white light.

Pikachu saw Zapdos immediately, and ran to hug it. Zapdos nudged the little Pokémon with its beak and held it close with a talon, about five times its height and dwarfing it easily. Pikachu's cheeks sparked with electrical happiness, and Zapdos's wings did the same. The Rogue couldn't help but smile when he saw this sight. His Pikachu may have been a handful at times, and its emotions were more than he could stand, but the weary detective had to admit; a hug from a Pikachu was one of the best things in the world.

And it moved him to settle something that should have been settled a while ago.

"Stacy," he said as he turned to her, and she turned to him as well, "I must apologize for my brashness yesterday. The stress of the job is painful to bear sometimes, and with Verdus testing me like this, I . . ." he cut himself off, not wanting to sound like he was making excuses, then resumed when he thought of something better to say, "You're not worthless. In fact, you're my best and only asset to this case. Without you, I wouldn't have the edge I needed against Kaine. And if I need to keep that edge and crack this case, I can't mistreat my only witness. I'm sorry."

Stacy smiled, her eyes glistening somewhat, "I'm sorry too, detective. I should've known this case was gonna be tough on you. And you're right, Verdus is a pain. I guess I shouldn't have been so hard on you about it. I apologize."

"Don't," the Rogue insisted, "My behavior was inexcusable. If you want, you don't have to keep traveling with us. I know it would be safer to stay with us, but it's your decision. And if you so choose, I can relocate you to Viridian City to stay at my home or at Dontae's Gym."

Stacy grinned playfully, "Are you kidding? You guys would be lost without me!" She then reached out and embraced the Rogue tightly, before quickly backing off, "Oh! Sorry. I know you have a thing about hugging."

The Rogue, warmed up inside by Stacy's consideration, answered back simply, "It's okay."

"Hey, guys!" Dontae called over to them, "Zapdos is about to leave!"

The Rogue and Stacy turned back as Zapdos spread its wings, preparing to take off. Pikachu stopped it one more time for another heartfelt hug, and Zapdos cooed to it, as if to ease its troubles and assure it that they would be meeting again soon. Then, with a great rumble that sounded off as it flapped its wings, Zapdos was in the air, and it flew gracefully away. Sparks that flew from its wings shot up into the sky and caused it to roar with thunder.

Pikachu ran as far as it could as it waved to the Electric legend, "Pika! Pika-pikachu!"

Zapdos cawed back its reply as it continued to fly off, its form shrinking little by little as it flew farther. In a matter of moments, the legendary bird disappeared over the horizon.

The whole group was in awed silence for a while, all of them feeling blessed for having met one of the three legendary birds of Kanto. Only the day before, Zapdos was weak and unable to move on its own, let alone fly. But with help from the Rogue's Pikachu, the Electric Pokémon was back to full strength, and was now gracing the skies once again.

"What a majestic creature."

The whole group turned, and the Rogue felt his insides burn. Tanshin stood only a few yards away, hands in his duster pockets and looking at the same spot in the sky that the others were.

"Oh, great," the Rogue couldn't hide his displeasure, "What are you doing here?"

"Pleasant as always, Ryoguchi," Tanshin benignly responded to his son's 'greeting'. It grated on the detective's nerves to hear his father call him by his given name, but he did not want to break the peace only seconds after it had been achieved. He merely seethed silently in his father's presence.

"Hey, Tanshin!" Dontae greeted the older man jovially, "How goes the journey?"

Stacy shyly waved and said her hushed greeting, "Hello, sir. It's nice to see you again."

Tanshin nodded toward the two, "Dontae, Stacy, pleasure to see you. Listen, it's getting late, so what say I treat you all to dinner before we get to the Pokémon Center?"

"Oh, hell, yeah!" Dontae cheered and pumped a fist in the air, "Chow time, Charmander!"

The Lizard Pokémon danced a merry jig and cooed happily, "Char, char, char!"

"Wow, that sounds great!" Stacy added, rubbing her own stomach in anticipation, "We haven't eaten since we left Vermilion!"

The Rogue was the only one in the group not smiling. "What do you want, Dad?" he said sternly.

Tanshin raised an eyebrow, "'Want', Ryoguchi? 'Want'? There's nothing that I want. I was simply making a peace offering. Perhaps we can forget about the past and bury the hatchet?"

"You already forgot about the past," the Rogue spat back, "that's why I refuse to bury anything!"

Dontae scoffed at the Rogue's attitude, "Oh, come on, man! He's offering to pay for dinner! Stop looking the gift Ponyta in the mouth!"

"He's right, Detective," Stacy urged, her baby-blue eyes helping her do it, "We all need to eat something. The Pokémon will be hungry, too. Just try to be civil for a while. After all, he is your father."

The Rogue was put off by his father's very presence, and was about to say so, but Stacy had just forgiven him for losing his temper once before. He wasn't about to let it slip again. Furthermore, she was right; the humans and the Pokémon needed nourishment after a long few days of traveling.

After a long, exasperated sigh, the Rogue finally relented, "Fine, but we have to get going in the morning. Lavender Town doesn't have a Gym, so we need to take the Underground Tunnels to Celadon on the west coast. If we leave quickly enough, that should give us enough time for me to defeat the Celadon Gym Leader and for us to reach Fuchsia City by the end of the day."

Dontae cheered again, "Yeah, baby! Grub time!" He then turned to Tanshin with an energetic grin, "Lead the way, sir!"

Tanshin smiled and gestured for the group to follow him. Dontae and Charmander followed him along a southbound road leading into Lavender Town; Stacy followed, laughing at the duo's antics; and the Rogue slowly and begrudgingly brought up the rear, pushing the bike as he went. Golbat sauntered next to him, and draped a comforting wing around its partner's shoulder. The look in its eyes was one of regret and uncertainty.

"I know, I know," the Rogue answered, knowing what that look meant, "but he walked out on me. I hadn't seen him in over a decade! It's hard for humans to forgive something like that." The detective groaned in frustration when he heard Dontae ask Tanshin, "Hey, can we get a look at your Pokémon sometime?"

Lavender Town was a sleepy little hamlet, mostly suburban houses, that was thrown into shadow by the mountains to the north and the Pokémon Tower on the eastern side of town. The Rogue never liked coming to this town, and that tower was the main reason; the Tower was used as a cemetery for Pokémon, and the idea of a dead Pokémon was disconcerting, to say the least. Nevertheless, the Rogue was morosely silent as the group, led by Tanshin, found a small eatery from which they ordered a large, but simple banquet. They found a booth table by a large window (which directly faced the morbid Tower) and sat down to supper. Charmander was curled up on the floor next to them with a large bowl of meat-flavored Pokémon kibble; it munched and sighed contentedly at its obviously delicious feast. Golbat was hanging upside down from the ceiling, directly over their table, and snacking on its own meal: a blood-flavored chew stick.

"Well, tuck in, folks," Tanshin said good-naturedly as he distributed plates of food around the table. The Rogue was still stoic, but Dontae eagerly took multiple helpings of each consumable, plopped it all onto one plate, and noisily chewed and swallowed. Charmander looked up at its Trainer and laughed heartily.

"Mr. Tanshin?" Stacy asked in a subdued tone, like a schoolgirl asking a question in class, "Can I ask you when you became a Trainer?"

The Rogue rolled his eyes, _Oh, boy, here we go again_.

Tanshin smiled as he replied, "I didn't think anyone would be interested in the career of an old codger like me."

"Are you kidding?" Dontae answered, his response nearly unintelligible with his mouth stuffed with food, "You must be an awesome Trainer! If the Rogue is that good, you must be a Master by now!"

"Well, not just yet," Tanshin grinned, "As much as I know, I still have much to learn. Besides, I don't like to be held down by the Pokémon League's regulations."

"You don't like to be held down by family, either," the Rogue muttered under his breath, prompting an elbow in his side from Stacy.

"But, if you're interested," Tanshin continued, "I could give a little Q and A session to introduce myself a bit."

"Cool!" Dontae finally gulped down his mouthful before eagerly responding, "So, how many years have you been doing it?"

Tanshin sighed and closed his eyes, as if thinking back to the day he turned ten years old, "Let's see . . . . that would be forty-two years ago next month. I swear, time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it?"

The Rogue chose to miss the perfect opportunity for another bitter insult.

"Of course, it wasn't always easy," Tanshin added matter-of-factly, "Pokémon Training in never an easy life. But all my loved ones had faith in me, and I grew to be a pretty decent Trainer at an early age. I collected all the badges in Kanto pretty quickly. Within a year, in fact!"

Stacy seemed excited by this, "Did you enter the Pokémon League Tournament?"

"Several times," Tanshin answered, "But I never made it to the finals. It taught me a lot, though, and it was a good experience for me."

The next question was Dontae's, "Did you ever face the Elite Four?"

Tanshin shook his head, "That would've been too awkward. When I was younger, I dated Agatha for a few months, and we parted on rocky terms."

Stacy giggled giddily and Dontae retched, both apparently having different reactions to that image. The Rogue's eyes narrowed. He hated that story, and hoped he wouldn't expand on it like he usually did.

"After a while, though," Tanshin proceeded, "I had to wind down a little, and slow down my Pokémon Training for a bit."

"Huh?" Dontae was inquisitive, "But why? You were on a roll! You could've entered the Pokémon League and won if you wanted to!"

"I did want to," Tanshin replied with a reminiscent smile, "But I had met a beautiful, brilliant and gentle woman, and something told me it was time to settle down. That was when I met Kaiya, Ryoguchi's mother."

Stacy blushed and smiled, "Awww, that's so sweet!"

The Rogue interrupted and continued, "They were married for a couple years before they had me. And of course, you're all aware of what my life was like before I turned ten." He shot a dirty look at his father, "Or must we refresh their memories?"

"Are you still whining about that?" Dontae sighed, "That happened so long ago! Just let it go!"

"No, it's okay, Dontae," Tanshin injected peace into the situation, "Let him be angry. He has every right."

"I'd be less angry," the Rogue slowly replied, a dangerous calm in his voice, "if you would give me a straight answer. Where have you been for the last twelve years?"

Tanshin sighed wearily, "I told you in my note, Ryoguchi. I had to restart my quest as a Trainer. I had my reasons."

The Rogue slammed a fist on the table, making everyone in the vicinity jump and look in his direction. "That's not good enough!" he said, standing up and nearly upsetting the table, "You can't tell me that you left your family behind, your wife, your son, your LIFE, just to go back on some stupid adventure! You lived your dream! Why weren't you there to see me live mine?! Why weren't you there when Mom got sick?! Why didn't you make any effort to help?! You could've done a hell of a lot more than send her a Charmander!"

Stacy was hiding her face with one hand and tugging the Rogue's sleeve with the other, "Detective, please, keep your voice down. Everyone's staring!"

Tanshin gave another weary sigh, hesitated for a few seconds, then slowly shook his head, "I'm sorry, Ryoguchi. I can't tell you."

The Rogue scowled, then took his wallet out of his duster pocket. "I'm not about to let you help me anymore," he growled as he placed several bills on the table, "You had your chance to, and you blew it!" And without anything more than a look of disgust, he left the table and stormed out of the restaurant. Golbat saw this, and a look of worry came over its eyes. It tumbled from the ceiling and followed its partner out the door, careful not to hit other diners with its wings as it glided out the door.

A restful night's sleep wasn't enough to quell the Rogue's fury; he awoke on a couch in the Lavender Town Pokémon Center lobby, hating his father even more than ever now. He sat upright on the couch and rubbed his face with his hands, trying to relax himself. Hopefully by now, Tanshin would be gone, and there would be no need to sit through any more of his nonsense. With a deep, calming sigh, he reached over to the back of the couch to grab his duster.

It wasn't there.

The Rogue turned and saw an empty space on the back of the couch where his duster used to be, where he had placed it just last night. He looked on the floor all around the couch, in the corners of the room, and on the coatracks that hugged the walls. Nothing.

This was a disaster. His PokéCell and all four of his PokéBalls were in that duster. Charmeleon, Beedrill, Pikachu and Sandslash were all gone. And he couldn't report a robbery because his PokéCell was missing as well. Quickly, the Rogue gave a two-finger whistle to summon Golbat. There was a few seconds of silence, and the Rogue whistled again. Nothing.

Now in a state of true panic, the Rogue jumped from the couch and raced out the door of the Center, looking wildly around for Dontae and Stacy. At first, he saw nothing, but after a few seconds of quiet listening, the detective heard voices coming from the southern side of town. He raced toward the sounds, and saw large images casting shadows near the rocky town limits. When the figures were clearer, the Rogue saw a whole slew of Pokémon, playing and sparring together at the craggy exit just before the Silence Bridge leading to Fuchsia City. Some, he noticed, were Dontae's Pokémon; he and Stacy were nearby, watching them and laughing good-naturedly. The Rogue took another look, and saw that his own team—Charmeleon, Pikachu, Sandslash, Beedrill, and even Golbat—were all amongst the group.

Unsure which mystery to get behind first, the Rogue's frustrations reached their peak, "Will someone tell me what the hell is going on here!?"

Dontae saw the Rogue coming, and automatically held up his hand, as if scanning him with an invisible PokéDex, "Ah! Rogue, the Temper Pokémon! Able to hold in massive amounts of anger for ridiculous reasons for years on end, this Pokémon has a tendency to hate his relatives and spoil everyone's good moods!"

"I don't have time for your cracks, kid!" the Rogue snapped, "Where's my duster, and why are my Pokémon out running around? For that matter, whose Pokémon are those?"

The Rogue observed the strange Pokémon that were playing with the Rogue's and Dontae's Pokémon. The most obvious was a massive blue sea-serpent-like creature, too big to be on dry land with the others, which resided in the bordering sea on which the bridge. Its eyes, scales and features all had the same traits: large, sharp, and dangerous-looking. It, however, seemed docile, and allowed Dontae's Wartortle and Poliwag to climb up its hide and slide down its back into the water.

"Whoo!" Dontae whooped when Poliwag made a cannonball into the blue waters, "Nice one!" He then turned back to the Rogue and produced the detective's duster from behind his back, "Relax, Marlowe, those are your dad's Pokémon. They're playing together, that's all. We really should do this more often, 'cause it looks like Gyarados is really giving my Water guys a workout!" Another splash, this one from Dontae's Wartortle, could be heard along with Poliwag's giggling.

The Rogue observed the scene further on land. Dontae's Charmander and the Rogue's Charmeleon were riding atop a large canine Pokémon that resembled an upgraded Growlithe. It was an Arcanine, Growlithe's evolved form, and it was barking wildly as the two Lizard Pokémon hollered and cheered on its back. The Rogue's Beedrill and Sandslash were sparring with two other Pokémon. One was a large, perfectly spherical creature with white on top and red underneath, known as Electrode, while the other was larger, bipedial and foxlike, colored light brown and carrying a silver spoon in each hand, known as Alakazam. Beedrill furiously jabbed at the speedy Electrode, but the Ball Pokémon effortlessly dodged each shot. Sandslash and Alakazam clashed claw with spoon in a dual-wield swordfight. The Rogue's Pikachu and Dontae's Vulpix were rolling a large rock back and forth to one another; the rock had short stubby arms and legs and a face jutting out in the middle. This was a Golem, the final form of Geodude; it shifted its own weight to make itself easier for the two small Pokémon to roll, and sucked in its limbs to make itself completely spherical while mobile.

The Rogue, after slipping on his duster and checking to see if his PokéCell was still in the pocket (which it was), he glanced all around the landscape for his Golbat. When he could not see it, he spoke up, "Where's my partner? And for that matter, where's my father? Should I add theft to the reasons why I can't stand the sight of him?"

Dontae turned to make a snappy remark, but the duo turned toward the sound of Stacy's excited voice, "Look, here they come!" The Rogue saw where she was looking, and looked straight up, seeing two small dots in the air falling fast. The closer the two dots became, the more detail they acquired, until they were just moments away from touching ground. The Rogue's Golbat, as healthy and active as ever, parachuted its wings to catch itself, only a few feet from touching the ground. The other object was Tanshin's sixth Pokémon: a large, orange, bipedal dragon with antennae, disproportionately small wings and a long, thick tail. Riding atop this large Dragon-type was Tanshin; at his command, the dragon extended its wings and caught itself before touching ground, mere inches from slamming into the earth with a sound crash.

"Excellent job, Dragonite!" Tanshin congratulated his Pokémon before jumping off its back, "Well, I think Golbat's gotten quite a bit tougher, wouldn't you say, old friend?"

"Baaaar-bwar!" Dragonite lowed in a surprisingly comical voice, nodding and shaking its tail.

Tanshin turned, smiling until he saw his son's stern countenance. There was a long, awkward silence until Tanshin broke it by sheepishly shrugging his shoulders and saying, "What?"

"Dad, what are you doing with my Pokémon?" the Rogue demanded, "We have to be ready to leave, now!"

"I was just helping your team with some work and play," Tanshin proudly smiled, "And since my Pokémon needed some R & R as well, I figured we'd make a big play-date out of it."

"This is no time for a play-date!" the Rogue admonished, "I'm on an important case, and I need my Pokémon for it!"

"Relax, son," Tanshin calmly assured, "I just thought your team could benefit from some training from my team. Oh, by the way, congratulations! Your Charmeleon knows Flamethrower and your Sandslash knows Earthquake."

"WHAT!?" the Rogue cawed, dumbfounded, "I didn't give you permission to teach my Pokémon anything! Who do you think you are!?"

Tanshin smiled warmly, "You're welcome."

The Rogue was fuming, but Dontae seemed excited, "Oh, awesome! Did you teach any of my Pokémon some cool new moves?"

Tanshin gave another proud smile, "Well, your Charmander ought to do just fine with its new Dragon Claw attack. And if that's not enough, Wartortle knows Water Pulse and Vulpix knows Iron Tail!"

Dontae's jaw was open so wide, it would not have been an exaggeration to say that Tanshin's Dragonite could've fit into it easily. "EPIC!" Dontae hollered, pumping a fist in the air, "I so wanna battle! I wanna see how good they've gotten!"

"Don't look at me," the Rogue groaned, "I'm not condoning this nonsense. You start a battle now, and I'm leaving you here."

Stacy suddenly had an idea, "Well, why don't you battle Tanshin, Dontae? Then we can see his battle style, too!"

The Rogue snorted, "In that case, I may not have to wait. My dad may not be family material, but his years in Pokémon Training weren't exactly wasted."

"Awesome!" Dontae replied, this statement only driving his eagerness further up, "It'd be a real honor to go up against the champion team of a Pokémon League contender!"

Tanshin smiled and shrugged, "Well, this isn't really my champion team, they're more like my favorites." Tanshin then gave a two-finger whistle, and all of his Pokémon reacted. Arcanine bent down to drop off Charmander and Charmeleon, Electrode and Alakazam ceased their training session with Beedrill and Sandslash, and Golem rolled past Pikachu and Vulpix and toward its Trainer. With Dragonite already there, Gyarados then climbed out of the bordering sea and crawled onto the land toward the group, and all six of Tanshin's Pokémon surrounded him, ready and eager for battle.

Dontae grinned, and took an appropriate spot facing Tanshin from a good distance away. "Come on, guys, let's battle! Three-on-three style!" he called, and his team repeated the actions of Tanshin's. Wartortle and Poliwag jumped out of the sea and raced across the land toward Dontae, and Charmander and Vulpix came in at him from the other direction. Dontae's Pokémon converged, and were reunited, just as eager as Tanshin's Pokémon for a good battle.

Tanshin grinned back and produced a PokéBall from his duster, aiming it at a random Pokémon every second. The Rogue wondered what he was up to, then had a sudden hunch; he was trying to psych Dontae out. He was trying to make Dontae guess which Pokémon he'd be keeping out for the battle, and throw off his decision-making skills in order to gain the mental advantage. The Rogue gave a joyless smirk, wondering if it would work on a Trainer as single-minded as Dontae was.

Finally, as the Rogue returned his Pokémon to their PokéBalls, Tanshin returned Electrode to its own Ball, in a flash of laser light. He looked up at his Arcanine, and nodded, and the Legendary Pokémon leaped out onto the battlefield, growling and baring its menacing teeth. Its pelt seemed to radiate with fiery energy.

Dontae grinned, seeming to see an opportunity to gain the advantage, "Wartortle, start us off!" Wartortle ran out onto the field and sized up its opponent, staring daggers at the canine Pokémon. Its long, fluffy tail shook eagerly back and forth as it waited for the first command to be made.

But Dontae was not the first to make a command; Tanshin was, "ExtremeSpeed!"

At once, Arcanine vanished in the blink of an eye, and just as suddenly, reappeared to tackle Wartortle full-force. The Turtle Pokémon was blasted backwards by the force of the strike, and it landed on its shell as it slid a few feet backwards. Performing a backward somersault, Wartortle righted itself and stood erect, looking angry that it had been taken by surprise.

"Wartortle, boost defense with Withdraw!" Dontae called, and Wartortle pulled its head and limbs into its shell; the carapace now made Wartortle that much more durable.

Tanshin gave another quick, curt command, "Iron Tail!" Arcanine sprang into the air, and its puffy, tannish tail suddenly glowed with a silvery shine. Arcanine then performed a forward somersault in the air, and struck Wartortle's fortified shell with its now-steel-hard tail, sending the Water-type flying once again.

"That's it," Dontae growled, "Time to go on the offensive. Wartortle, Water Pulse!" Wartortle's head and limbs popped back out as it landed, and it opened its sharp-toothed mouth to release a series of watery orbs at Arcanine. The orbs expanded into rings, much like Misty's Starmie had done when it battled the Rogue's Golbat. The water-rings struck Arcanine hard, but it shook off the hit, not even indicating if it had taken any damage.

The Rogue was suddenly startled by Stacy's concerned shouts, "Hang in there, Wartortle! You've got the advantage! I know you can win!" The Rogue wasn't so sure; if he knew his father, he knew that in another two or three moves, this round would be over.

Another one-word command from Tanshin had Arcanine racing, "Crunch!" The Fire-type's jaws opened, and its teeth seemed to elongate. Once again, Wartortle was struck with a brutal move, its shell under the tremendous pressure of Arcanine's fangs.

"Wartortle!" Dontae called out worriedly, "Hang in there! Use Bite!" Wartortle, struggling against Arcanine's powerful jaws, turned its head and Bit down on the side of Arcanine's face. Arcanine whined and released Wartortle, and the terrapin creature was poised, ready to strike again.

"Now, Water Gun!" Dontae called quickly, and Wartortle sprayed a fierce jet of water from its mouth, hitting Arcanine square in the chest. It backed up, but it didn't back down.

_Here it comes_, the Rogue thought to himself, and indeed, as he predicted . . .

"Flamethrower!" Tanshin commanded, and Arcanine drew back its head, threw it forward, and a ferocious blast of fire gushed from its mouth, completely enveloping Wartortle. When the fire died down, Wartortle was flat on its shell, dazed, crispy, and defeated.

"Wow!" Stacy was in awe, "I've never seen a Flamethrower that powerful! Especially used against a Water-type!"

The Rogue couldn't help but smile; the old man hadn't lost his touch. He knew Dontae should be feeling frustrated and helpless now, as if all his strategies had backfired and nothing he did was enough.

Nothing was further from the truth. "Awesome!" Dontae whooped as he returned Wartortle to its Ball, "I've never seen such strength! Your Arcanine is the sickest firebreather ever!"

Tanshin shrugged and returned Arcanine, "I have put a lot of work into my team. I earned my tournament contender status."

As another golden opportunity approached for the Rogue to make a comment, he allowed it to pass him by, and instead urged them on, "You guys wanna speed it up?! Time is of the essence here!"

"Relax, son," Tanshin gently responded, "You deserve a break, so just sit back and enjoy the battle." He then produced another PokéBall, played a wordless game of Eeny-Meeny-Miney-Moe with his Pokémon, and finally returned Alakazam. Apparently, it would not be participating in the battle.

Dontae observed his team, and his gaze rested on Vulpix for a while. "Vulpix," he addressed the vulpine creature, "I promised your Trainer you would get stronger, and I meant it. Take over for Wartortle!" Vulpix excitedly raced out onto the field, its six curl-ended tails waving back and forth to signify its eagerness to fight.

Tanshin turned toward his Golem, and nodded, and the Megaton Pokémon tucked in its head and limbs in order to roll out onto the battlefield. It stopped itself with its feet, stood up straight, and eyed Vulpix with determination.

"But, Dontae!" Stacy protested, "Vulpix is a Fire-type! Rock-types have an advantage against them!"

Dontae grinned slyly, "Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Stacy, my dear! Vulpix knows Iron Tail now! Any Fire-type can bring down a Rock-type with a move like Iron Tail!"

The Rogue rolled his eyes; the case of his Charmeleon (then a Charmander) defeating Brock's Onix with aid from a Steel-type move was mostly luck on his part. The detective knew it would take much more than that for Dontae to defeat Tanshin.

This time, Dontae began the battle, "Use Will-O-Wisp, Vulpix!" The Fox Pokémon inhaled, and blew out a blue ball of flame at Golem. The Rock-type was stricken, and a section of its stony body was charred and smoky with a Burn.

Another simple command from Tanshin, "Defense Curl!", saw Golem pulling its limbs and face back into its spherical body and gaining the faint white glow of defense increase.

"Nice try!" Dontae smirked, "Vulpix, Iron Tail!" Vulpix raced in, and just as Tanshin's Arcanine had done, all six of Vulpix's tails shone with a silvery glint, and became steel-solid. Vulpix jumped, spun around, and whipped Golem with its multitude of tails, making a resounding CLANG sound. Golem's round carapace rolled back a couple of feet, and a soft moan came from inside.

"Yes!" Dontae celebrated, "Keep it up, Vulpix! Back-to-back Iron Tails!" Vulpix obeyed, spinning and swinging its galvanized tails into Golem's craggy hide. The Megaton Pokémon made no attempt to counter the blows, and Tanshin made even less of an effort to tell it to do so.

Finally, when Vulpix used Iron Tail for the tenth time, Tanshin made the next command, "Explosion!"

The Rogue's instincts fired up, and he seized Stacy by the waist and flung both of them down onto the ground, "GET DOWN!" Golbat flopped down on top of them both, covering them with its large wings. What the Rogue couldn't see, it could hear, a titanic explosion resulting in an astronomically loud BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG! The force of the blast very nearly lifted the Rogue, Stacy and Golbat up off the ground, and the three of them were covered in dirt blown in on them from the destructive discharge. Golbat pulled itself up, letting the Rogue sit up straight; the entire area was clouded with dust, and the two combatants were completely obscured by it. The Rogue turned and could see Stacy, hear her coughing and blowing the dust off of her clothes. Her white blouse was now brown, and the pink of her pleated skirt could no longer be seen. Another glance, and the Rogue saw, even under the dirt and grime that covered her face, that Stacy was blushing vividly. The Rogue was unsure why, until he was reminded that his arm was still clasped tightly around her delicate waist.

The Rogue retracted his arm quickly, and covered up his slip-up by scrutinizing the field for Tanshin and Dontae. When the dirt fallout subsided, he saw both of them still standing, they and their Pokémon teams covered in filth. On the field, both Golem and Vulpix lay motionless, grimy and unconscious.

Stacy spoke first through her coughs, "Whoa! What a blast! That Explosion knocked out both Pokémon, didn't it?"

The Rogue was furious, "Damn it, Dad! That was completely uncalled for! You could've won that battle any other way if you wanted to!"

Tanshin wiped the grime from his face as he and Dontae returned their Pokémon to their PokéBalls. "Yeah, I know," he said laconically, a mischievous grin crossing his face.

The Rogue growled in frustration, then continued to rant, "Well, whenever you're through destroying Lavender Town, we need to get moving!"

Once again, Tanshin responded calmly with, "Relax, son! One more Pokémon apiece, then I'll let you run, okay?" Again, Tanshin returned another of his Pokémon, but did not waste any time; Gyarados returned to its Ball in a flash of red light, and Dragonite moved without a command to be heard. It jumped, and was airborne, crossing over to the battlefield swiftly, landing gracefully and taking an intimidating battle stance.

Dontae took his last PokéBall and returned his Poliwag to it. Charmander glanced up at its Trainer, knowing what must be done, and at Dontae's signal, the brave little Lizard Pokémon charged onto the field, swiping its claws and grunting, "Char-char-char!"

Both combatants received the exact same order at the exact same time: "Dragon Claw!"

Both Charmander and Dragonite sprang forward at each other, each baring a set of claws that were suddenly coated with a thin layer of searing blue fire. Both battlers slashed, and both battlers took massive amounts of damage. Charmander was blown back dozens of feet, and Dragonite was dropped from the sky with a loud THUD! Both Pokémon, however, got up and were ready for more.

Dontae followed up quickly, "Charmander, Slash it!"

Tanshin responded just as quickly, "Fire Punch!"

Charmander's bared claws lengthened, and Dragonite's balled-up fist received a coat of bright orange fire, and once again, the two Pokémon struck simultaneously. The two were blown back, but neither one showed signs of slowing down.

Dontae made another quick command, "Use Dragon Claw again!"

"Aerial Ace!" Tanshin countered. Dragonite was airborne again, performing a perfect loop-de-loop a hundred feet in the air, and gaining momentum as it came back down. Charmander raced out to meet it, its claws gaining that same draconic blue fire, and Dragonite's ramming head collided with Charmander's brutal claw attack. Dragonite landed with great precision, but Charmander was beginning to pant heavily. An intense battle against a high-caliber opponent was taking its toll on the tiny Fire-type.

That's when Tanshin took the game: "DOUBLE-EDGE!"

Dragonite hovered on the spot for a second, then flew straight at Charmander in a mad corkscrew charge, mere inches from touching the ground. Charmander had not even a second to react, and was struck by Dragonite's oncoming shoulder. Charmander was knocked skyward, fifty feet up, then came down, dangerously close to striking the hard ground if Dragonite hadn't caught it in its great orange arms.

Charmander cooed weakly, then grew limp in Dragonite's arms. It was defeated.

"Finally!" the Rogue burst out in gratification, "All right, Dontae, you've had your fun, now heal your team and let's get moving!"

No one answered him. Dontae and Tanshin both approached their Pokémon, and Tanshin reached out to take Charmander from the Dragon-type's arms, "That could've been messy. Nice catch, Dragonite."

The great Dragon heaved an exhausted sigh, but responded, "Bar-bwaaar!"

The Rogue's patience was wearing down more and more, "Will you people hurry up! This case will not wait forever!"

Still ignoring the detective, Dontae approached Tanshin with a look of admiring gratitude, "Thanks for the great battle, sir. Your Pokémon are phenomenal."

"Thank you, Dontae," Tanshin smiled warmly, "Your team has excellent potential. You'll be a genuine Pokémon Gym Leader before you know it."

"Enough!" the Rogue could stand it no longer, and he trudged up to the two competitors. He snatched the limp Charmander from the now-taken-aback Dragonite and thrust the Fire-type into Dontae's arms. "Take this," he referred to it in a harsh voice, "and take the rest of your team, and go heal them! Head to the western outskirts of town when you're done. Go!"

"Dude, relax—"

"NOW!"

Charmander stirred in Dontae's arms. The young Gym Leader stared indignantly at the vexed detective, begrudgingly obeyed. While Dontae walked off toward the Pokémon Center, the Rogue could barely hear Dontae's lowered voice, "Jackass."

The Rogue then turned roughly to Stacy, "Go with him."

Stacy's eyes seemed emotional for a split-second, then she walked off in the same direction, responding sourly, "You don't have to be so mean."

Ignoring them both, the Rogue finally rounded on his father. "And as for you," his ferocity accented the last word, "who are you to interfere with a police investigation? I don't care if we're related, I could have you brought up on obstruction charges!"

Tanshin sighed wearily, "What is it about this case of yours that has you so worked up? What's going on, Ryoguchi?"

"Stop calling me that!" the Rogue bellowed before answering the question, "All I can say is that it's a matter of national security. For that matter, if you feel the need to keep secrets, who am I to tell you mine?"

Tanshin looked at the detective with a skeptically raised eyebrow, "Isn't that a little immature, son?"

The Rogue eyed his father angrily, "Isn't it a little selfish to turn your back on your family, _Dad_?"

Tanshin closed his eyes and sighed, lowering his head wearily. "Touché," he muttered guiltily.

"Precisely," the Rogue bit back, "Now do the same thing you did twelve years ago, and _get out of my life!_" With that, and a swish of his duster, the Rogue made his way to the garage his motorcycle was being kept. Golbat followed, airborne the entire time, as if it were reluctant to move in close to its Trainer. Tanshin stayed in the same place until the Rogue was out of sight, returning his Dragonite to its Ball and closing his eyes.


	14. 14 - Biker Blowout

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#14: Biker Blowout

The sun was high in the middle of the sky as the Rogue, Dontae and Stacy rode down the road, out of Lavender Town and to their next destination. Having consulted his PokéCell's maps, the next town over was the bustling metropolis of Saffron City, but since the tollhouses were down for repairs (which the Rogue took into account several days ago), the only choice was to take another Underground Tunnel that led to Celadon City—and the Rogue's fourth Gym Badge. He already knew the setup he'd use against Erika, the Grass-type specialist of the Gym; his Pikachu may have shown great power, but Electric-type moves were resisted by Grass-type Pokémon. Just as bad, his Sandslash and its Ground-type affinity were weak to Grass-type moves. This alone was enough of a reason to use his other three team members, but the Rogue knew that the three Pokémon remaining—Charmeleon, a Fire-type; Beedrill, a Bug- and Poison-type, and Golbat, a Poison- and Flying-type—were more than enough to overpower Erika's Grass-types.

At least, the detective hoped so.

The Rogue saw the Saffron tollhouse in the distance, and slowed the bike to a stop. Only several yards away, off to their right, was the entrance to the Underground Tunnel, which looked just as small and creaky as the Cerulean-Vermilion tunnel entrance. Slowly, the detective dismounted, and Stacy and Dontae followed. Golbat gently landed next to them, allowing Charmander to dismount. The group made their way to the door of the entrance, and the Rogue reached out his hand to open the door.

And suddenly stopped.

"Hey, what's the holdup?" Dontae barked from behind, "We gotta get a move-on, here!"

Stacy was much gentler, "What's wrong, Detective?"

"We're not alone."

Mere seconds after the Rogue said it, the deafening sound of engines sounded off all around them, forcing Dontae, Stacy and the Pokémon to cover their ears. The Rogue glanced around, and saw movement from within the trees and bushes surrounding the area. Rushing out from amongst them were over a dozen motorcycles, each one carrying a leather-clad hooligan hollering and screaming over the roaring motors. The Rogue recognized these thugs; they much resembled the biker gang they ran afoul of at the Cerulean Tunnel. Just as they had then, some of the bikers carried metal pipes and swung long chains through the air. As soon as they were all revealed, they rode in circles around the group, still whooping and taunting and making sure they stayed right where they were.

The Rogue merely rolled his eyes and groaned to himself. _How do these cretins find me?_ he thought angrily, trying to figure out how many bikes his Golbat's Air Cutter could destroy before they would strike back.

After a few more minutes of this senseless display, the gangsters killed the engines, and formed a perfect, still circle around the Rogue and his group. Stacy was shuddering and cowering behind the Rogue. Dontae's hand hovered over the PokéBalls on his belt. Golbat and Charmander both tensed up, ready to be called into action.

The bikers snickered at their quarry, and they all glanced in one direction as one of them dismounted and approached the group. He was large, round and bald, and wearing a heavy leather jacket, just like the leader of the last group the Rogue had confronted. He sneered at the Rogue and said cockily, "You were stupid to show up here, cop. Once we got word from our boys in Cerulean that some punk in a coat was messing with us, we needed to make sure he learned his lesson. Now we got you outnumbered five-to-one. You wanna keep messing with us now?"

Stacy continued to shiver behind the Rogue, while Dontae growled contentiously. The detective merely sighed in an annoyed fashion, just as before, "If you people had more brains than balls, I'd be in Fuchsia City by now! Make this easy on yourselves and step out of my way!"

"SHUT UP, COP!" the boss bellowed back, "You don't call the shots here! _I_ do! And the first thing you're gonna do is pay for humiliating our Cerulean boys!"

The Rogue was not intimidated in the least. "Right," he scoffed in an indifferent fashion, "so what's to stop me from taking my contemporaries here, breezing right past you, and rolling into Celadon City before lunch?"

To that, the boss responded with a mere nod. Only a few seconds later, the Rogue and Stacy both turned to the sound of Dontae's voice, "Hey, get off me, you big ugly freaks! Let me go! I said, let go!"

As Dontae struggled with the two bikers who had grabbed him by the arms, another one was grabbing his Charmander around the neck with his arm. "Char! Char!" the Lizard Pokémon shrieked as it attempted to burn the thug with its tail. It was in vain, though; the biker grabbed Charmander's tail with his free hand, held it up and dangled the Fire-type upside down. "CHAR!" Charmander readied to fire a Flamethrower, but just as the fire formed in its mouth, the gangster pulled out a small firearm that seemed to be dripping wet—it was a water pistol, pointed right at Charmander's tail.

Stacy held on tightly to the Rogue's arm as the detective seethed in anger at this cowardly maneuver. His words were dangerously quiet, "Let . . . them . . . go."

"You're not scaring anybody, cop!" the boss barked at him from behind. Only seconds after the boss spoke, the Rogue heard a PANG sound off twice behind him. Another second later, the Rogue caught two brown blurs out of the corner of his eye, and . . .

BAM!

The Rogue felt a devastating blow to the middle of his back that sent him flying forward, and . . .

BAM!

Another harsh blow caught him in the stomach and stopped him. He slid to the ground, landing flat on his stomach and coughing in agony.

"ROGUE!" Stacy cried as he fell, "Rogue, no—" her words were muffled quickly afterwards. The Rogue slowly rolled over onto his back, and saw just what had attacked him: two Pokémon, seemingly deployed by the biker boss. The one that had attacked from behind was thin and reedy, square-headed, and wore a lavender tunic and big, bright-red boxing gloves. The one that attacked from the front was rounded on top, appearing headless with eyes on its chest, and had thin, three-fingered hands and long, springy-looking legs with three-clawed feet.

"HA-HA!" the boss cackled triumphantly, "Not so tough now, are ya, pig!" He then snapped his fingers, and his Hitmonchan (the Pokémon wearing boxing gloves) and Hitmonlee (the one with the springy legs) jumped into position at either side of him. Another quick nod, and the boss had commanded the bikers holding Dontae, Stacy and Charmander to make their way to the Underground entrance.

Golbat flew to its partner and helped him up with its wings. The Rogue was back on his feet, but still aching from that sudden attack. He knew that Golbat would want to fight these cowards just as much as he did, but the Rogue knew that one false move meant that they would hurt their new hostages. He knew that Golbat must have felt the same way.

The Rogue, getting his senses back, tried to speak, "Well . . ." he coughed a bit from the pain in his gut, "Wh- . . . what are you gonna do with them? They . . . they have nothing to do with this."

The biker boss grinned, "A little leverage never hurt anybody! You battle each and every one of us, one right after the other! And once my boys are done, I get to have a shot at you! We'll see how tough you are against all of us! Oh, and if you don't want to give us Pokémon to battle, then," he glanced over to a still-struggling Dontae and a trembling Stacy, "our Pokes will have to find something else to pummel."

Stacy released a squeal from underneath her captor's hand, and was now fully sobbing. The biker holding her shook her slightly, as if trying to shut her up. Dontae merely growled and spat at the ground, "You bastards! You cowardly bullying bastards!"

The boss then waved a hand to his men, "Will somebody shut them up, please?" At this, Stacy and Dontae's captors continued their path to the Underground Entrance, their hostages still writhing and struggling to break loose. The man dangling Charmander upside-down followed close behind, the water pistol in his hand dangerously close to extinguishing its flame—and its life.

Just before the gangsters vanished through the door, Dontae's voice bolted out, "Don't worry about us, Rogue! Take these freaks out!"

At the same time, Stacy's mouth was freed from her captor's grasp, and her voice rang out as well, shrill and strong, "Rogue! I know you can do it! No one can do it like you! But you have to hurry—" her mouth was muffled once again before all three hostages were forced roughly into the doorway. The Rogue's heart ached when he heard Stacy's screams, still audible from the other side of the door.

"Now, then," the boss smirked, his confidence overwhelming, "Let's see how strong you are _now_!"

The Rogue's fury was at its apex. Immediately, he grabbed a PokéBall from his duster, enlarged it, threw it, and summoned his Charmeleon with a PANG! It stood staunchly on the battlefield, its eyes burning with determination.

The biker boss's smirk widened, "Now that's what I like to see! Watching you try to put up a fight before we break you will be awesome!" And with another nod to his men, one of them stepped up to the other side of the field, produced a PokéBall, and summoned a Koffing from it, similar to the one the Rogue battled in the Cerulean Underground.

The Rogue smiled, glad that his father had decided to take liberties with his Pokémon after all, "Charmeleon, Flamethrower!"

Charmeleon grinned wickedly, threw back its head, and launched a devastating stream of fire at Koffing. Before the Poison Gas Pokémon could react, it was completely engulfed in flames, and by the time the attack ceased, Koffing fell from the air, rolled over twice, and groaned in pain. It was charred, crispy, and unconscious.

Dontae continued to struggle as the heathen who held him tightened his grip. Next to him, Stacy squealed in fear as her imprisoner kept his hand over her mouth, and behind them both, a dizzy Charmander was moaning in misery. The group was being taken down the spiraling ramp that led to the tunnel, which grew darker and darker as they went (their only light was Charmander's upheld tail-torch). Finally, after what seemed like hours of struggling, both Dontae and Stacy were released and pushed into an alcove underneath the ramp. Getting a better look at their kidnappers, Dontae eyed them both—one a tall, scrawny man, the other shorter and dumpier—with severe abhorrence. Once Charmander's captor, and average-height bodybuilder came in view, Dontae's hatred was boundless.

The tall skinny one suddenly spoke roughly, making Stacy jump, "First things first! Hand over your PokéBalls!"

Dontae scowled at the punk who dared order him around, "No way, you big pit-stain! If you were any smarter than a tree stump, you'd let us go, right now!"

The short one then laughed at Dontae's audacity, "And if _you_ were smart, you'd know your little salamander is about to get put out! And you know what that means!" He then drew his index finger across his multi-layered throat, making a slashing sound with his mouth. The thin guy and the bodybuilder each laughed at what a Charmander's extinguished fire potentially meant.

Dontae knew it, too. Unwillingly, he unclipped each PokéBall from his belt—Wartortle, Vulpix, and Poliwag—and slowly extended the hand that held them out to the punks who ordered them.

"Char, char!" Charmander cawed from behind the two guys, "Char-char! Charmander!" It wriggled its helpless body repeatedly and kept calling out to its Trainer, as if trying to stop him from making that mistake.

"I'm sorry, buddy!" Dontae replied regretfully, "but I don't have any choice. I'm not risking your life for our sakes." With one last defiant glare at his provokers, his hand held out his other three Pokémon, trapped and helpless in their PokéBalls. The chubby guy snatched all three from Dontae's hand at once, and the three idiots resumed their chuckling fit.

The thin one then stepped closer to Stacy, and she turned white with each inch closer he came, "How about you, sexy? Any Pokémon you'd like to hand over?"

Stacy shook in fear, her eyes overflowing again as she backed away from the creep.

"Leave her out of this, you slime!" Dontae suddenly roared, "She's not even a Trainer! You gonna go picking on innocent girls that can't even defend themselves?!"

The big guy answered Dontae by punching him in the stomach. Taken by surprise, Dontae grunted and coughed, and was brought to his knees by the blow.

"Dontae!" Stacy quickly came to help him up, "Are you okay? Please, don't go shooting off your mouth like that! Who knows what these guys might do to us? Besides, the Rogue can get us out of this. I know he can!"

Dontae was woozy after that sudden strike, but his thoughts were clear: _Of course he can. The better question is: _will_ he?_

"Sandslash, Earthquake!"

Sandslash smirked as its opponent, a Muk (the evolved form of Grimer, a pile of purple filth with angry eyes that stood nearly four feet tall) lumbered towards it. Sandslash bared its claws, lifted them high above its head, and brought them down with a mighty slam. A large crevice then formed in the ground, running straight at Muk with great swiftness. When the crevice reached the Sludge Pokémon, the entire ground began to violently shake, and Muk bellowed in agony as its slimy body jiggled and shook with the tremor. When the shaking stopped, Muk fell forward on its face with a sound SPLAT!

The third Biker goon to fall to the Rogue returned his Muk and wordlessly stepped aside for the next Biker goon to take his place. The Rogue returned Sandslash to its Ball, and replaced it with another; Beedrill was quickly deployed with a flash of white. It swiped at the biker with its stingers and buzzed furiously, as hungry for battle as it always was. The Rogue was careful to bring out a fresh Pokémon with each individual battle; he knew that if he was to maintain his strength for the boss, he needed to stay on his toes.

The next biker to step up and take on the detective threw his PokéBall, and a Voltorb came out. Remembering his battle against Lieutenant Surge, the Rogue readied himself for combat. "Beedrill," he commanded, "Fury Attack!"

The biker made his move seconds later, "Voltorb, Tackle!"

Voltorb quickly rolled in, proving its species' natural speed, and struck Beedrill hard. Beedrill shook off the hit as if it were nothing, and proceeded to stab Voltorb five times with its deadly stingers. Voltorb hummed in pain and was flung back to the ground from the attack.

The Rogue followed up quickly, "Now, use Poison Sting!" Beedrill hardly needed to be commanded, almost instantly blasting Voltorb with a shower of poisonous needles. That was the last hit Voltorb could take; it rolled over onto its head and groaned, defeated.

_Hang on, guys_, the Rogue thought urgently, _I'm coming for you!_

Dontae wracked his brain trying to come up with a solution to their situation. Judging from the noise outside the door (not to mention the titanic rumble in the ground only a few minutes ago), the Rogue was trouncing the biker goons quite dexterously, but Dontae knew that no Trainer could keep that up forever. He had to do something, and fast.

"Well, this is boring!" the skinnier biker squawked, "I think I'm gonna have me a little fun!" He then stepped up to a nervous Stacy, "Wanna help me out, gorgeous?"

Stacy seemed too scared for words, but tried anyway, "No . . . p-p-please . . . l-leave me alone . . ."

Scrawny only seemed encouraged by her fear, "Oh, come on, babe, now don't tell me a sexy thing like you is shy!"

Stacy glanced all around the tunnel for a way out of the creep's sight, but she seemed to notice as quickly as Dontae had that the light in the tunnel was dimming; Charmander's upside-down position was eating away at its consciousness, and its tail-flame was weakening along with it.

Stacy audibly shivered, "I wish Zapdos were still here. Going through the Rock Tunnel wasn't nearly this bad when we had light like that."

That's when it struck Dontae. _That's it!_ he thought eagerly, hoping these guys would be dumb enough to fall for it.

"You mean the one I caught?"

Everyone in the vicinity looked at Dontae after he said it—even the semi-conscious Charmander—as if he had just grown a tail. _Good,_ Dontae thought, trying to suppress a grin, _it's working._

Stacy began to contradict Dontae's unbelievable words, "But you never caught—"

"Sure, I did!" Dontae said excitedly, trying to sound as if he really captured the legendary bird, "Remember? Right before we got into Lavender Town?" He then stared intently at Stacy, gave a subtle wink, and gestured to the fat one's hand with his eyes. Fatso's grubby fingers were still clasped over Dontae's PokéBalls.

Stacy was still confused, but only a few seconds later, she began to catch on, "Oh! Yeah, I remember that! That was so cool, Dontae!"

Scrawny and Fatso looked at each other, then looked at Dontae with that same slack-jawed look. "You caught a Zapdos?!" Scrawny asked, unable (or unwilling) to believe it, "_You?_"

Fatso was not as gullible, "Hah! That's a laugh! How did a little wuss like you capture one of the three legendary birds?"

"Don't believe me?" Dontae's voice maintained a convincing tone, "Open up that PokéBall." He pointed to a random PokéBall in Fatso's hand.

"You morons!" the two guys jumped when their bodybuilder friend holding Charmander spoke up, "Are you really dumb enough to fall for that? There's no way Zapdos can be captured, especially by a brat like him!"

"Suit yourselves," Dontae replied simply, ignoring Musclehead's warning, "But if you had a Zapdos like mine, the ladies would be drooling over you! Trust me, I know!"

Stacy seemed to see that as her cue, and suddenly flung her arms around Dontae, kissing him repeatedly on the cheek. Dontae noted to himself to take a cold shower when all this was over; he had to admit, Stacy's acting was very pleasant.

Scrawny's eyes widened, then narrowed as he looked at his tubby comrade, "You know, his Pokes are ours now, right?"

Fatso seemed to know what he was trying to say, and his flabby face grinned. He looked down at Dontae's PokéBalls, picked out the one Dontae had pointed at, and held it up, "This one?"

Dontae nodded, working harder than ever to keep from grinning.

Scrawny and Fatso grinned at each other, threw the other PokéBalls behind them disrespectfully, and enlarged the Ball they thought contained a rare and valuable Zapdos. They opened the Ball with a PANG, a white light flashed, and out from the Ball emerged . . .

Poliwag.

"Use Hypnosis on Charmander!" Dontae ordered quickly. He would have preferred Vulpix at this point, but he had a plan in mind, no matter which PokéBall the idiots picked out. Poliwag immediately began to spin the swirl on its stomach, and Musclehead caught the gaze full-on.

"You . . . . morons . . ." Musclehead muttered as he sank into a deep sleep, dropping the water pistol and Charmander (which also collapsed on the ground snoozing). Scrawny and Fatso stared at each other with that same stupid 'surprised' face, shocked that they had been duped. This seemed to flip a switch in both their minds at the same time:

"GET 'EM!"

Dontae and Stacy ducked and moved out of the way, while Poliwag launched a Water Gun directly into their faces. Dontae swiftly made his way to where his other two PokéBalls had been thrown, and quickly snatched them up. Stacy raced over to the sleeping Charmander and picked it up, holding it gently and avoiding its still-fiery tail.

"Now, boys," Dontae grinned with his own cocky sneer, "Why don't we settle this with a _real_ Pokémon battle? Fair-and-square, unless you think you're too weak!"

Scrawny and Fatso glanced at each other, realizing they had no choice, and took out their own PokéBalls, summoning a Grimer and a Koffing, respectfully. Poliwag was back on Dontae's side, slapping its tail eagerly against the ground, ready to battle, "Oli! Oli! Oli!"

Dontae grinned at Poliwag's zeal, "Yeah, me too, little buddy. Go!"

There was a massive Explosion, and the Rogue, Golbat and all the Bikers ducked and covered. The force of the blast blew dirt and leaves all across the field and onto the bodies of the ducking Trainers. When the dust settled, the Biker's Weezing (the evolved form of Koffing, which resembled a four-foot Koffing with dull fangs and a second head that was more of a growth than an actual body part) was unconscious, smoke still emitting from its still body. The Rogue looked, up, and tried to spot his competing Pokémon.

Pikachu had dodged it.

The Rogue saw three identical Pikachu land in the clearing. Apparently, Double Team had worked out better than expected; Weezing's Explosion had missed its target, and it had knocked itself out for nothing. The Rogue grinned as the Biker returned his Weezing and retreated, waiting for the next one to replace him. The next Biker stepped up, launched his PokéBall, and surprised the Rogue with his choice: a Magmar, a fiery bipedal Pokémon with clawed hands and feet, two fiery lumps on its forehead, and a long, powerful-looking flame-tipped tail. Its red-and-yellow skin boiled as it growled with a voice that sounded like a raging inferno, "Maaaaaagmaaaaaaaar . . ."

The Rogue quickly returned Pikachu, and gave a two-fingered whistle; Golbat graced the field in the blink of an eye, staring down Magmar and poised to strike when the command was made.

Both Trainers made the same command simultaneously, "Confuse Ray!"

Both Golbat's and Magmar's eyes glowed white, and they both fired a bright beam of light at each other. Both attacks struck, and both Pokémon swiveled precariously on the spot. They were both Confused.

"Magmar!" its Trainer called out, "Use Fire Punch!"

"Golbat!" the Rogue countered, "Wing Attack!"

Magmar's balled-up fist became coated with fire, while Golbat flexed its wings and readied to leap. At once, both Pokémon attacked . . .

And both Pokémon slipped, falling over face-first and damaging themselves in the process.

The Biker seemed to be keeping his cool, "Flamethrower!"

Magmar recovered, and blew a jet of fire at Golbat. The flames struck the Bat Pokémon, but they weren't enough to bring it down.

"Air Cutter!" the Rogue responded, and Golbat charged in, sweeping its wings and launching visible blades of air at Magmar. The move was Critical; Magmar flew back several feet and howled in pain.

"Magmar!" the biker made another command, "Another Flamethrower!"

The Rogue knew another attack like that could mean trouble, "Golbat, Bite!" Golbat swiftly covered the distance between the two, and ferociously Bit Magmar before it attacked again. After that, it backed away nervously, closing its eyes and hiding its face in its hands. It had Flinched.

"Hurry!" the Rogue followed up quickly, "One more Air Cutter!" Golbat swiftly obeyed again, and launched another set of deadly air-blades at Magmar. The Air Cutter struck true, and Magmar was thrown to the ground again, this time for good. It landed, moaned, twitched, and was still.

The Rogue sighed as the seventh Biker returned his Pokémon. The detective was feeling fatigued, and was beginning to lose focus, while the Bikers still had half their men remaining. His Pokémon were beginning to tire out as well, and it wouldn't be too much longer until he was defeated, whether he liked the idea or not.

The Biker Boss, however, seemed frustrated with his gangs' performance thus far. "You miserable idiots!" he shouted after the Magmar Trainer stepped back, "Can't you battle at all, or are you just retarded?" He then stepped forward and snapped his fingers, and in a split-second, Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan took to the field at the same time. Hitmonchan threw a flurry of punches in the air, so quick that they couldn't be seen. Hitmonlee jumped and performed several masterful kicks before landing. Both Fighting-types were raring to go.

The Rogue sighed and reached for his next Pokémon to accompany Golbat. All of them had taken substantial damage in this survival game, and the Rogue was hesitant to use any of them. But he couldn't give up now. No matter how battered and worn-out he was, he was not about to give up.

The Rogue suddenly heard a creaking sound, and glanced at the now-opening Underground entrance door. Dontae leaped out from behind it, cheering and whooping and dancing like a madman. Stacy walked out after, carrying Dontae's Charmander, which was soundly sleeping in her arms. The last thing to emerge was a small, round, blue creature with large eyes and a spiral pattern on its stomach. The Rogue could have sworn it was Dontae's Poliwag, except it now had arms and legs, and its tail was missing.

"Yeah, boooooooooyyyyyyyyyy!" Dontae hollered in celebration, "Poliwhirl, you are the MAN!"

Poliwhirl pounded its chest with its new fists and cheered as well, its voice now significantly deeper than it was as a Poliwag, "Oli, oli! Oliwhirl!"

The Rogue sighed and smiled. Dontae may have been a nutcase occasionally, but he had brains that, the detective could swear, rivaled his own at times. "I see you managed to get yourself out," the Rogue pointed out, "Nice work, you two!"

Stacy approached Dontae, her eyes sparkling with gratitude, "You can thank Dontae! Convincing those biker guys into thinking he had a Zapdos was just brilliant!"

Dontae glanced at Stacy's adoring face, and smoothed his hair back confidently, "Well, I try! I'm only sorry I had to send Charmander to Slumberland. I'm sure it'll forgive me when it wakes up!"

The biker boss, watching these events unfold, was dumbfounded, as were his remaining cohorts. "Will someone tell me," he growled, unable to control his sudden anger, "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!"

"I can tell you!" Dontae snapped, his fury quickly overshadowing his joyful victory, "Payback time, that's what!"

The Rogue and Golbat raced toward Dontae and Stacy, and the group was reunited. The detective rounded on the remaining bikers, "You're all going down for this! You're looking at five years apiece at Lavender Prison!"

The boss, realizing his ambush plans had just fallen apart, suddenly seemed to go psychotic, "NO! GET THEM! GET THEM NOW!" The Bikers who had yet to battle deployed their Pokémon, all Koffings and Grimers, and commanded them to attack the group. Even the Bikers who couldn't battle attacked, making do with their own strength.

All instinct driving him, the Rogue brought out four PokéBalls and unleashed all four of the Pokémon within. Dontae did the same with his own team, releasing his remaining two Pokémon. The Bikers and their Pokémon charged, and Golbat, Sandslash, Charmeleon, Pikachu, Beedrill, Vulpix, Wartortle and Poliwhirl raged into battle, meeting their onslaught with a devastating counterstrike.


	15. 15 - The Odds of Success

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#15: The Odds of Success

After a gigantic, violent cluster of a battle, the bikers were subdued. A few hours after the battle ended, in the wake of dusk, the Rogue and Dontae were now aiding the Lavender Police department in apprehending the troublemaking bunch. Stacy leaned against a cop car, still holding a sleeping Charmander in her arms. From all directions, bikers were screaming, resisting arrest, and cursing at the Rogue, vowing to take revenge. The Rogue merely rolled his eyes and continued to sign paperwork. After shoving the ninth Biker into the back of a squad car, Dontae returned to tending to his and the Rogue's Pokémon. His Vulpix and his newly evolved Poliwhirl were both Poisoned, as well as the Rogue's Sandslash. Charmeleon and Wartortle were also close to fainting, but Dontae took great care in doing what he could until a Nurse Joy at a Pokémon Center could do it better.

The Rogue finished giving his statement to the Officer Jenny of Lavender Town, sure to warn her about the Bikers' Cerulean division, and approached the area where Dontae was healing their teams. The Rogue was reluctant to admit it, but knew it had to be done, "Hey, Dontae, thanks for the save. Now I owe you twice."

Dontae merely grinned from ear to ear and nodded vigorously before returning to tending to his Poliwhirl. Stacy had returned by this time, and Charmander was stirring, indicating that it was finally awakening; she set the Fire-type down, and Charmander yawned, blinking sleep from its eyes. The Rogue observed his companions, and thought to himself how reckless he's been to get them in these situations. These two didn't need to be dragged hip-deep into this dangerous case, and Stacy especially was too important to come to harm. Without her, his case against Kaine was worthless.

After a while, the officers were ready to depart, and after the two Trainers returned their returnable Pokémon, the Rogue spoke up, "All right, guys, listen. Now that the tunnel to Celadon is free, we should get moving again. We'll get some sleep at the Pokémon Center, I'll get to the Celadon Gym in the morning, and we can be out of Celadon before the afternoon. For that time, I want you both to stay with me at all times. No one leaves the course without my okay. Is that understood?"

Both of the Rogue's contemporaries were listening, and Dontae responded with a lazy scoff, "Dude, chill out! It's not like we're complete idiots! We've proven that we can take care of ourselves!"

"I'm serious!" the Rogue replied insistently, "I took a responsibility in allowing you two to travel with me, and I've been neglecting that responsibility. My cases against Team Rocket, Verdus, the thieves from the S.S. Anne, and the Biker Underground have put you both in danger far too often, and I cannot let that happen anymore." He looked at Stacy, who'd been listening intently, especially long as he continued, "Especially you. You've been in the most danger because you don't have any Pokémon. And since you're a witness to Kaine's crimes in the past, I cannot keep letting you come to harm."

Stacy's baby-blue eyes widened and her delicate cheeks reddened. "Well, I . . ." she began, glancing intermittently between the ground and the Rogue, "I . . . I can trust you, Detective. I know you'd never let anyone hurt me. You've saved my life twice since I started traveling with you, and I know you'd do it again if you had to." Her vision was almost entirely aimed at the ground as she finished, but the look on her face and tone in her voice was clear, "I . . . . I have faith in you."

The Rogue felt his emotions stir at the unyielding trust Stacy had in him, but kept a blank face to hide it all. Resuming his authoritative tone, he replied, "Nevertheless, I can't risk letting you out of my sight again. I have to work harder keeping you out of danger long enough for you to see Kaine answer to his crimes. Once he's behind bars, your life will be back to normal, I promise."

Stacy's blush remained, but she aimed her soft blue eyes directly at the Rogue when she answered him, "Thank you, Detective. I don't know how I could ever repay you . . ."

Dontae interrupted with a retching sound before loudly ranting, "Well, how about we repay him by finishing up this lovey-dovey crap and moving our butts to Celadon! Let's roll!"

The Rogue frowned at Dontae's tactics, but agreed with his direction, "You're right, Dontae, we should get moving if we want to make it to Celadon before dark." Checking the maps on his PokéCell, then glancing up at the lessening light in the sky, the Rogue made his way to his motorcycle, and Dontae and Stacy followed. Golbat, still a bit woozy from back-to-back battles, still had the strength to lift Charmander onto its back and get itself airborne. The humans boarded the Rogue's bike, the detective gunned the engine, and the group entered the Underground Tunnel, destined for Celadon City.

Most of the trip through the Underground Tunnel into the bustling Celadon City was a blur to the Rogue. He was heavily encouraged to make quick progress to Celadon City, and getting there and finding the Pokémon Center was fairly simple. After Dontae and Stacy had found places to sleep, the Rogue stayed up for most of the night, watching over them and resolving even more to keep them out of danger. After getting some sleep himself, the detective had decided to get to the Celadon Gym, make quick work of Erika, and earn her Gym Badge as early as possible. Taking the Cycling Road south from there would lead them to Fuschia City, another town with a Gym—and a badge that the Rogue knew he would not waste time earning. The Rogue was confident in his plan, and that no harm would befall his charges in the meantime. Letting his nocturnal partner, Golbat, take over the watch, the Rogue found a comfortable place to sleep.

That morning, he knew his plans were complicated yet again.

The Officer Jenny of Celadon City had come in that morning just after he had woken up, and the still-groggy Rogue was now listening to her beseeching him for his help in yet another case. As he listened, the Rogue resisted the urge to repeatedly bash his head against the wall.

"And that's the story, Detective," Jenny finished, "if these claims made against the Game Corner hadn't panned out, we would've just ignored them, but we have reason to believe Team Rocket is back to work running it again. When we heard you were in town, we knew you would be the best person for the job because of your collar at Mt. Moon. Will you help us with this case?"

The Rogue wanted nothing more than to say he had more important matters to attend to, but he of all people knew how dangerous Team Rocket was. "I'll look into it for you, Jenny," the Rogue replied, trying hard to keep frustration out of his voice.

"Excellent!" Officer Jenny beamed, "Keep us posted with the details." With that, she turned and walked out the Pokémon Center door.

Dontae and Stacy had woken up by this time, and the Rogue groaned at this newest complication. Dontae was the first to speak, "What's goin' on, Gumshoe? You ready to face Erika today?"

The Rogue turned toward them, taking a deep, exhausted sigh, "Okay, change of plans. It seems Team Rocket is causing trouble at the Game Corner again, and I need to stop them. Trouble is, this new assignment will put us behind schedule, and I won't be able to take on Erika in the same day. But I can't ignore Team Rocket. They may be ridiculous, but they're capable of anything."

Dontae scoffed loudly, "Please! Those guys are pushovers! You can take them out, whip Erika's butt and still be in time for lunch!"

"Don't you ever take anything seriously?!" the Rogue demanded, "I can't waste any more time! Kaine is planning his attack on the Plateau as we speak, and the more time spent not planning to stop him, the more time he gets to destroy the place!"

Stacy was next to speak, and did so gently, "Well, why not just let Dontae and me handle Team Rocket for you? We can make sure they get caught while you battle the Gym Leader—"

"Out of the question," the Rogue cut her off, instantly admonishing the idea, "I said you two would no longer be put in harm's way, and I meant it. I can't let you two risk your lives to help me, not again."

"Dude, relax!" Dontae interjected, "I mean, think about it. You need the badges, so one else can beat the Gym Leaders but you. So just stop being a hero and take help where you can get it!"

Stacy nodded, "He's right, Detective. Team Rocket may be dangerous, but Kaine is much worse. Besides, it's not a bad thing to ask for help every now and then, and you need all the help you can get."

The Rogue frowned at their assumption that he was too prideful to receive assistance, but ignored it. Taking another frustrated sigh, he relented, "Fine. But this is how it goes. Stacy," he directed his attention at her, "You stay at the Pokémon Center at all times. Do not leave this building until Dontae or I come for you. Understand?"

Stacy seemed briefly saddened that she would not be allowed to help, but nodded anyway.

"Also," the Rogue continued, "You should give Dontae your cell phone. Dontae," he directed at him, "keep that phone with you at all times. If you need help, call me or the police. Get proof of their activities and turn them in, but don't get caught! Clear?"

Dontae shrugged, "No prob. Charmander and I can handle this." Charmander was next to him at this time, and it nodded with a look of steely determination on its face.

The Rogue nodded satisfactorily as Stacy pulled her cell phone out and handed it to Dontae. "Good," he said, wrapping up the assignments, "now, get to the Game Corner immediately. I'll join you as soon as I defeat Erika. Now, let's hurry!"

And without another moment, the Rogue gave a two-fingered whistle, and Golbat sprang from the corner in which it hung upside-down, ready as ever to aid its partner. As the duo left the Pokémon Center, the Rogue ignored Dontae's complaint of, "I can't use this phone, it's pink!"

The Rogue held back a disgusted groan while looking at the façade of the Celadon Gym, which was adorned with millions of different colored flowers. He pushed the door open and stepped slowly inside, Golbat following him swiftly. The inside of the Gym was more akin to a greenhouse than a Pokémon Gym. Vases and planters full of flowers lined the Gym walls. The arena in the middle was edged by thick green hedges that were dotted with even more flowers. All over the Gym, Trainers of different ages (all women) were grooming, training, and playing with their Grass-type Pokémon, many of which were decorated with even more flowers. The Rogue thought the whole place was more of a respiratory insult than a perfume shop.

As soon as the door closed, a younger girl looked up from petting her Bellsprout (a small, reedy-looking creature with a yellow, bell-shaped head and beady eyes), saw the Rogue standing in the doorway, and screamed, "Ahhh! He's peeping! He's peeping!"

All of the girls around the Gym looked up from their Pokémon and added to the uproar in similar ways:

"Where's the peeping Tom?"

"He just walked in the door!"

"Kick him out! Teach that nasty boy a lesson!"

The Rogue sighed and rolled his eyes, his hope of not needing to assert his authority now dashed. Just as the girls converged on him, ready to haul him away, he pulled out his wallet and flashed his badge, "Viridian Police!"

The entire crowd froze, their mouths agape at the Rogue's audacity. Whether they were surprised that he was a law enforcement official, or that they were shocked that he would make such a heinous abuse of authority, it was difficult to tell, but the Rogue wasn't about to waste the quiet he was given.

"I formally request a battle with the Gym Leader," the Rogue declared politely, "Where may I find her?"

The crowd of girls went from surprised to confused, then indignant as they whispered amongst themselves. They seemed as though they were debating whether they should allow the Rogue to challenge the leader, as if doing so would break a major rule.

"Ladies, please," the Rogue gently insisted, "I don't have much time. And I don't want to have to spring up a little gender bias issue in this Gym with the Pokémon League officials."

There was more chatter amongst the girls, this time somewhat more panicked than before. After a few seconds of whispering, of the women in the crowd, one about the Rogue's age with long blond hair and wearing a white top and tight lavender miniskirt, bade him forward. The Rogue and Golbat followed her into the circle of hedges, and beyond, on the far side of the Gym, a young woman was sitting beneath a shady tree. She was pretty, had shoulder-length black hair that contrasted with a bright red hairband, and wore a long, sunshine-yellow kimono. Whether she was asleep or meditating, the Rogue was uncertain, but the Rogue knew better than to make judgments based on appearance.

The blond girl slowly walked up to the woman under the tree, bent down, and whispered something in her ear. When she didn't respond, the blond girl poked her in the shoulder gently with a finger, and she stirred slightly, her contemplation (or sleep) disrupted. The blond girl whispered into her ear again, and she nodded, bidding her leave. The blond girl stared contemptuously at the Rogue, as if hoping the Gym Leader would soundly defeat him.

"Oh, pardon me," the sleepy-eyed Gym Leader said with a dreamily quiet voice, "I must have dozed off. I am Erika, and you are most welcome to my Gym."

The exasperated detective replied briskly, "I'm the Rogue, an investigator working for the Viridian Police department. I'm on a case that requires your badge, and I must battle you, now."

Erika's sleepy eyes widened, "You are certainly in a rush, Detective. Are you certain you should battle under such stressful circumstances?"

"It's not a question of whether I should," the Rogue replied, pulling his first PokéBall and enlarging it, "I'm afraid I must."

Erika's serene tone was maintained as she stood up, producing her own PokéBall, "Very well, Detective. But I shall not lose."

Both Trainers' PokéBalls opened with a PANG, and two Pokémon took to the field. Charmeleon represented the Rogue, while on Erika's side stood a Victreebel. It was an odd-looking creature indeed, large, yellow and bell-shaped, with red lips along the rim of its mouth on top and covered by a leafy lid. Two leaves on either side shook madly, and a long, brown vine connected to the leaf-lid whipped around, cutting the air. When its leaf-lid opened, it released a high-pitched, effeminate scream, "GYAAAAAAAH!"

"A Fire-type," Erika sighed, apparently unimpressed, "How unimaginative. I have the strategies necessary to overcome my weaknesses." Then, as if asking a favor of a dear friend, she gave Victreebel its first command, "Victreebel, Razor Leaf, please?"

Victreebel screamed again as it swung its leaves at Charmeleon, launching a volley of sharp-edged leaves at the Flame Pokémon.

The Rogue's battle instincts fired up, "Charmeleon, Flamethrower!" Charmeleon obeyed, and launched a searing jet of fire at Victreebel. Both moves struck, and Victreebel screamed again, "GYAAAAAAAH!" Charmeleon was hit hard, as well; the Razor Leaf sliced deeply into its scaly skin, causing Critical damage.

Changing tactics, the Rogue called out, "Move in for a Metal Claw!" Charmeleon steadied itself after its harsh encounter with the deadly leaves, and charged forward, growling as its lengthening claws gained a silvery sheen, "Chaaaarrrr . . ."

Erika seemed to bide her time, for she was silent until a split-second before the Metal Claw landed. Just as Victreebel took damage, Erika called out, "Sleep Powder, please?" Victreebel was knocked back by the move, but not before its vine shook erratically, emitting a shiny blue dust that landed directly on Charmeleon. On contact, Charmeleon's eyelids fluttered, and it fell backwards, soundly asleep.

"Excellent," Erika's calm voice remained, "Now, repeat Acid, please?"

Victreebel screeched its assent before a strange, gurgling sound emanated from its insides. Then, as if it were hacking up phlegm, its mouth-lid opened, and it spat a sizzling purple liquid at the sleeping Charmeleon. The Fire-type stirred, visibly discomfited, but remained sleeping. Victreebel repeated this process several times, uninterrupted.

The Rogue scowled, having been taken by surprise by this strategy. "Get up, Charmeleon!" he called out to his Pokémon, "You have to help me win this! We're running out of time!"

Erika ignored her opponent's pleas, "Now, Victreebel, use Giga Drain, please?"

"GYAAAAH!" Victreebel agreed, and its tiny, slitted eyes began to glow green as they were aimed at Charmeleon. The reptilian creature still slept, but it grunted in its sleep as suddenly, massive bubbles of green energy radiated from its body and flew across the field. Victreebel absorbed the bubbles, and released another healthy scream, "GYAAAAAAAH!"

The Rogue growled in frustration, knowing that, if it weren't for the Defense-lowering Acid attacks, Giga Drain would not have caused that much damage. It was made worse by the fact that Victreebel had recovered most of the damage it had taken thus far using that move. "Charmeleon!" the Rogue bellowed again, "We have to win this battle! You've got to help me! Please!"

Everyone in the room was surprised to see Charmeleon's eyes suddenly shoot open. It jumped back onto its feet, growling like a raging inferno, "Charrrrr, charmeleon!"

The Rogue took advantage of this new twist, "Now, Smokescreen!" Charmeleon quickly obeyed, and exhaled a thick black cloud that covered one side of the whole field.

Erika delicately pressed her face into her arm to block the smoke, "Victreebel, Razor Leaf, please?" Victreebel obeyed, shaking another flurry of hazardous leaves into the cloud. The leaves vanished within the smoke, and since no sound came out, it was assumed the attack made no contact.

"Flamethrower!" the Rogue called, and almost instantly, another jet of fire shot out from inside the black cloud, striking Victreebel hard and making it scream in agony, "GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The Rogue followed up quickly, "Now, Metal Claw!" Much faster and more calculating this time around, Charmeleon raced into the fray, baring its silvery claws and slashing with all its might. Victreebel was mercilessly forced back by the Steel-type move, it flew backwards, and landed in a heap in front of Erika. Its vine twitched slightly, and it went still.

Erika returned the Flycatcher Pokémon to its Ball, saying to the Ball before putting it away, Thank you, Victreebel." She then directed her attention to the Rogue, "Impressive thus far, detective." She then swapped Victreebel's PokéBall for another, "But the battle has only just begun."

The Rogue sighed in exhaustion, but kept his mind sharp. Erika was not going to be easy to defeat. He saw his Charmeleon turn to him and give him the thumbs-up, and he smiled. Charmeleon was raring to go. The Rogue steeled his mind and prepared for Erika's next Pokémon.

This was getting really boring.

Dontae had been sitting at one of the slot machines for the last twenty minutes, waiting for one of the workers at the counter to move. They had been acting suspicious ever since Dontae walked in; they constantly whispered to each other and glanced to a poster on the wall in the far corner of the building. Dontae had heard rumors that there was a secret underground entrance that was opened by a hidden switch under that poster, and this seemed to confirm it. Staying inconspicuous, Dontae continued to pull the level on the machine, pretending to be playing the slots.

Charmander, who was sitting next to Dontae eagerly, laughed and jumped at the many different sounds and vibrant lights coming from the machines all around the building. Its attitude on conspicuousness was not as strong.

"Shh," Dontae stifled his Fire-type friend, "Calm down, buddy. We can't call too much attention to ourselves."

Charmander crossed its stubby arms and pouted, "Char-char!"

"I know," Dontae relented, "You just wanna have some fun. But the Rogue gave us a special mission, and we can't lose focus." A few seconds after Dontae spoke, he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye, and turned. The two workers at the counter were quietly making their way to the corner where the poster was. Still pretending to gamble his money away, Dontae observed the movement out of the corner of his eye, waiting for something to happen.

But nothing did.

Dontae glanced at the corner, and found that the two workers were no longer there. He checked the counter, and did not see them there, either. _Strange,_ Dontae thought, scratching his head, _how did they get out of there without me seeing?_

The poster!

That was the only explanation! The rumors about the hidden passage must've been true! Dontae beckoned his Charmander to follow him, and the two made their way to the corner of the building. The corner was empty, but Dontae noticed that a section of the floor was strangely cleaner than the rest of the building. Upon closer inspection of the infamous poster (an advertisement for the Indigo Plateau tournament), Dontae saw that the bottom right-hand corner of the poster was creased slightly.

Dontae grinned at Charmander, "I think the Rogue's detective skills are rubbin' off on me, buddy!"

Charmander nodded with a delighted grin of its own, "Char, char-char!"

Subtly, Dontae maneuvered in front of the poster, crept his hand underneath it, and felt around the wall behind it, until he felt a small, round protrusion. He tapped it gently, and it seemed loose, not a part of the wall itself. Excitement grasping at him, Dontae pushed the button, and a few seconds later, a whole section of the floor in front of them slid aside. It revealed a staircase that led down underneath the building.

Dontae and Charmander glanced at each other, making sure each was ready for what lied ahead. Charmader took the lead in order to light up the path as Dontae followed.

"Tangela, PoisonPowder, please?"

"Charmeleon, Metal Claw!"

Erika's first command was quickly obeyed by her Tangela, which resembled nothing more than a three-foot clump of blue vines with feet. Its wide eyes, narrowly hidden by its vines, twitched fitfully as the blue extensions began to shake, emitting a shiny purple powder. Tangela jumped out of harm's way when Charmeleon swung its metallized claws, and it instantly became coated in the grainy substance. It became winded, and bent over to take breaths; its exhales came out in purple Poison clouds.

"Now, Bind, please?" Erika commanded politely, "And follow up with Growth, if you would?" Tangela's movements were fast; one blue vine shot out from Tangela's midst, wrapping around a dazed Charmeleon and damaging it little by little.

The Rogue was impressed by the combination, knowing he had to break it somehow. "Flamethrower!" he commanded again, and Charmeleon unleashed another jet of fire at its foe. Tangela's Growth had made it swell up a bit, but the fire still harmed it, and it mumbled as it attempted to get its bearings.

"Now, Tangela?" Erika asked, "Please use Giga Drain?" At once, the same phenomena happened as it had with Victreebel. Tangela's eyes glowed green, and large, green bubbles were pulled from Charmeleon's being as it struggled, poisoned, against the vine it was trapped by. The green bubbles were absorbed by Tangela, and it shook with a new vibrancy. Charmeleon, however, could stand no more abuse; the last of its power drained, it collapsed where it stood, defeated.

The Rogue scowled, disappointed in himself for letting Charmeleon get hurt. Returning it to its Ball, he automatically knew his next choice, and produced his next Ball. With a flash of light, Beedrill took to the field, stabbing the air and buzzing angrily. It was as hungry for combat as it ever was.

"Beedrill, Twineedle!" the Rogue commanded, and Beedrill zoomed across the field in a blink. It stabbed Tangela once, then twice with its deadly stingers, knocking it back forcefully. Immediately, the ends of Tangela's vines withered and curled with the effects of Poison.

"Oh, dear," Erika responded to this new game twist, "Tangela, dear, please use Bind?" Tangela obeyed, shooting its healthy vines at Beedrill in an attempt to ensnare it, much like it did with Charmeleon.

The Rogue countered quickly, "Beedrill, Harden!" Beedrill's body stiffened up, gaining a thin, glistening coat. Tangela's vines captured Beedrill, but the Poison Bee Pokémon hardly seemed to notice.

"Now, Pin Missile!" the Rogue commanded, and Beedrill aimed its stingers at Tangela, launching a series of deadly needles at Tangela. Tangela was struck four times by these sharp projectiles before dropping Beedrill; it groaned in pain from the effects of the Bug-type move.

"Oh, dear," Erika mumbled again, "this isn't good at all. I suppose I'll have to return you, Tangela." She then reached out her PokéBall and aimed it at Tangela, attempting to return it.

The Rogue's next command was faster, "Pursuit!" At once, Beedrill became coated in a dark energy aura, and it shot across the field faster than the human eye could track. It slammed its dangerous stingers into Tangela just before the PokéBall's laser light struck it, knocking Tangela back several feet. It rolled over several times, and stopped, unmoving.

Erika's dreamy eyes widened again. "Impressive," she quietly congratulated, "Using Pursuit at the right moment was quite ingenious." She finally returned the Vine Pokémon to its Ball and swapped it for her last PokéBall. She opened it with a PANG, and a Vileplume appeared on the field. It was squat and blue, with enormous red petals on its head, resembling a rafflesia flower. It jumped up and down excitedly and chattered, ready for battle, "Vile, vile! Vileplume!"

The Rogue steadied his senses, remembering his mistakes in instigating close combat with Charmeleon. "Beedrill, Pin Missile!" he commanded, and the Bug-type launched another flurry of needles, this time at Vileplume.

"Vileplume, Acid, please, dear?" Erika courteously asked. Vileplume responded by spraying the same corrosive purple substance at Beedrill that Victreebel had at Charmeleon. The liquid flew from the tube in the middle of Vileplume's petals and struck Beedrill harshly. At the same time, three needles struck Vileplume hard. Both Pokémon, however, were still raring to go.

"Another Pin Missile, Beedrill!" the Rogue commanded, and Beedrill obeyed, shooting more sharpened bullets at Vileplume.

"Dodge them, please?" Erika's etiquette remained, "And use Acid again?" Vileplume jumped out of the way of each missile and sprayed another jet of Acid at Beedrill. The attack did little damage, but Beedrill's Defenses were lowering, just as Charmeleon's had. The Rogue thought desperately for a solution—Pin Missile was not the most accurate move in Beedrill's arsenal, and close-quarter's attacks would increase the likelihood of powder-based counterattacks. The detective thought hard; if Beedrill could win this battle, he could quickly get to the Game Corner and help Dontae. He knew the young Gym Leader-to-be could not take Team Rocket alone.

Dontae had never seen a more disgusting sight. He and Charmander had successfully made it to the hidden basement beneath the Game Corner, and were greeted by a series of three small cages. Each cage was holding a small, brown, foxlike Pokémon, and each creature was filthy, starving and appeared to be sobbing. On a nearby wall facing the cages was a list divided into columns: a column of Pokémon names on one side, and a column of numbers on the other. Every species name was crossed out, save for the very last one:

"EEVEE" - x3

Charmander saw these lowly things, and the flame on its tail intensified, signifying overwhelming anger.

"I know, buddy," Dontae assuaged his friend, "We need to get these poor guys out of here." Dontae then raced over to the cages and gripped at the bars of one of them, seeing if they were breakable. The Eevee inside the cage whined and scooted backwards against the bars on the other side. The other two cried loudly at their friend's distress.

"Hey, shush!" Dontae whispered, trying to calm them, "It's okay! I'm a friend. I'm here to get you out of here!"

Charmander supplemented its Trainer's words with its own language, "Char, char-char, char. Mander, char, charmander! Mander, char!"

At Charmander's words, the three Eevee seemed to calm down as Dontae worked to break them out. The bars of the cage seemed unbreakable, and the locks appeared to be pick-proof. Dontae thought longer for a solution, then laughed when an idea struck him. Producing a PokéBall from his belt, he opened it, and Poliwhirl emerged. It threw a few punches before lowing in a comical voice, "'Oliwhirl!"

"Okay, you guys, I have an idea," Dontae consulted his two Pokémon, "Charmander, you heat up the lock on the cage with your Flamethrower. Poliwhirl, once Charmander's done, cool it off with your Water Gun. You guys got that?"

Charmander nodded, its tail-flame enlarging. Poliwhirl pounded its chest with its fist in a dominant fashion, agreeing with its instructions.

"Okay," Dontae then turned to the Eevee prisoners, "I'm gonna need you guys to back up a bit, okay. You'd be in big trouble if you got hit with one of these attacks."

"Bigger trouble than you're in right now?"

Dontae's heart sank, and he turned to see the counter workers glaring at him disapprovingly. Up close, Dontae thought they looked familiar, then took a second to place the voice he heard with the familiar faces.

"You two!" he realized, "Those Rocket guys we busted at Mt. Moon! I thought you were in jail!"

The heavier man smirked, "Haven't you ever heard of a jailbreak?"

The skinnier man continued to glare maliciously at Dontae, "Well, since you don't seem to remember our names, how about a little refresher course? Prepare for trouble in an underground room!

His partner followed suit, "And make it double, we'll make it your tomb!"

"To inflict some worldwide devastation!"

"To wipe out every single nation!"

"Uhhh, guys?" Dontae interjected, "I kinda heard this once already. Do you have to do it again?"

The Rocket agents ignored him and continued: "To destroy the goodness of truth and love!"

"To rain down terror from the skies above!"

"Julius!" the skinnier, white-haired man announced, pulling off his disguise with a flourish.

"Caesar!" the buff guy announced and copied his partner, and both were in full Team Rocket uniform.

"Hey, guys!" Dontae insisted, "We've been through this! Just get on with the battling already!"

"SHUT UP!" they both bellowed before continuing, "Team Rocket hides by day and rules by night!"

"No need to surrender, you won't put up a fight!"

And once again, in a flash and a PANG, Julius' and Caesar's Pokémon, Kadabra and Machoke, appeared beside them. Kadabra spun its spoon in its hand like a baton. Machoke pounded its knuckles together and grunted forcefully.

Dontae rolled his eyes, "Finally! This evil villain act is better suited for Saturday morning cartoons!" He then turned and nodded to Charmander and Poliwhirl, and they took to the field, ready for battle. Dontae made the first move, "Charmander, Dragon Claw!" Charmander charged in, lengthening its claws and coating them in a thin blue layer of fire.

"Kadabra, Reflect!" Julius ordered, and Kadabra held out its spoon.

"Kada-kada-kada-kada!" it chanted as a large, nearly-transparent screen appeared in front of it just before Dragon Claw struck. The attack hit, but the damage it would have done was visibly reduced.

Dontae countered, "Poliwhirl, use Water Gun!" Poliwhirl grunted and sprayed a jet of water from its spiral at Kadabra. Suddenly, though, Machoke jumped in the way and took the attack for its comrade, shaking it off as if it were bath water.

"My turn!" Caesar chimed in, "Machoke, use Revenge!" Machoke's eyes glowed with a ravenous orange light, and it jumped forward, slamming Poliwhirl hard with a devastating punch. Poliwhirl whimpered as it was knocked back by the augmented force of the strike.

Dontae panicked; these guys were much stronger than they were at Mt. Moon. "Charmander, Flamethrower!" he commanded, and the Fire-type blasted Machoke with a jet of fire as Dontae took out Stacy's cell phone and quickly punched in the Rogue's PokéCell number. He could swear he set a record for fastest keystroke entry.

Just as it had been against Lieutenant Surge, Beedrill was paralyzed. The effects of a well-placed Stun Spore were the Rogue's punishment for taking a chance with a frontal assault, and Beedrill could no longer move with the speed it once had. As it took another Acid attack, it buzzed angrily as its Defenses went down once again.

The Rogue predicted Erika's next move, and scowled as she made it, "Vileplume, please use Giga Drain?" Just as Charmeleon had twice before, Beedrill suffered from the effects of the draining move, having large green bubbles of its energy sucked from its body and displaced into Vileplume's. Vileplume was now healthier than ever, and Beedrill was still in a tight spot.

"Beedrill, use Twineedle!" the Rogue tried, knowing Erika's typical response to a frontal assault was moot by now. Bravely overcoming the pain of movement, Beedrill charged into battle, aiming its stingers at Vileplume and readying its signature move for maximum damage.

"Vileplume?" Erika requested, almost blushingly, "Use Petal Dance, please?" Vileplume then began to step, hop, spin and twirl, releasing hundreds of sharp-edged petals into the air just as Beedrill closed in. Both attacks struck, but with Beedrill's weakened state, it took the most damage, and was sent flying back by the force of the petal storm. It landed roughly in the grass, buzzing angrily despite falling into unconsciousness.

The Rogue released a heavy sigh and returned Beedrill to its PokéBall. This called for extreme measures, and the detective knew it. He gave a two-finger whistle, and Golbat fell from the ceiling in the corner in which it hung, appearing before its partner swiftly.

The Rogue gave Golbat a serious look, "Are you ready, old friend?"

The Bat Pokémon nodded with a chatter, its eyes steely and resolute.

"Then let's go!" the Rogue commanded, and Golbat took to the air, "Confuse Ray!" The Rogue knew that eventually, a powerful move like Petal Dance would induce Confusion in Vileplume by itself. But the Rogue was not about to take chances. Golbat launched the befuddling beam from its eyes, and Vileplume was struck head-on.

Vileplume continued to dance around, the petals surrounding it swirling and dancing with it. It tried launching the petals at its foe without needing to be told to, but the Confusion got to it, and it stumbled forward, hurting itself.

The Rogue seized the chance, "Now, use Bite!" Golbat's impressive speed gave it the edge, and it sank its fangs into Vileplume's large petals, making it shriek and cover its face with its stumpy arms. It had Flinched.

That's when the phone rang.

The Rogue cursed under his breath, and subtly drew his PokéCell and opened it, "Rogue here."

"Hey, partner," it was Dontae's erratic voice, "We've got a bit of a situation here." The Rogue wasn't sure what was happening, but from the sounds of grunting, banging and explosions in the background, he had a pretty good idea. "So if you could," Dontae continued, "I'd appreciate you saving my ass! Charmander, Slash!" That's when the dial tone went off.

The Rogue cursed again; Dontae was in over his head, just as he had predicted. Thinking quickly, the Rogue devised a way to end the battle quickly, "Golbat, circle strafe with Air Cutter!" Golbat chittered in agreement, and began flapping its large wings, sending visible air blades crashing down on Vileplume.

"VIIIIIIIIIIILE!" Vileplume screamed as the Flying-type strikes damaged it more and more. It tried to fight back, but the Confusion still tripped it up, and it suffered more and more damage.

That's when the Rogue finished it, "Wing Attack!"

Golbat zoomed down and struck Vileplume with a devastating wing blow. Vileplume moaned as it was knocked backwards, plowing into the ground as its will to battle flat-lined. After a few twitches, Vileplume was defeated.

Erika's eyes went wide again as she returned Vileplume to its Ball. "My, that was quick. You are remarkably strong, Detective! I must confer upon you the RainbowBadge—"

"Let me get back to you on that!" the Rogue spoke a mile a minute, "Urgent case, gotta run! Come on, Golbat!" And with that, the duo sped out of the battlefield and through the doors of the Gym.

Julius' Kadabra's Psybeam struck with surprising power, and Charmander was thrown into the wall behind it by the force of the multicolored beam of psychic energy. At the same time, Poliwhirl was literally thrown by a powerful Seismic Toss from Caesar's Machoke. Dontae was genuinely panicked now; his Pokémon were weakening more by the minute, and if Dontae couldn't turn something around soon, those Eevee still stuck in the cages would be the least of his problems.

Julius and Caesar were unimpressed. "So!" Caesar laughed, "Now that you don't have the cop helpin' you out, you're easy pickings, aren't you, runt!"

Julius added to their taunting, "Now, you'll pay for ruining our plans at . Our boss will be very displeased that you messed everything up for Team Rocket!"

Dontae's eyes widened at this revelation, "Boss? So you _are_ working for someone else! Who is it?! Is Giovanni back?"

Julius snickered, "Giovanni is still in training. But if I were you, I'd be more concerned about what Team Rocket plans on doing about young meddlers like you!" This seemed to be the cue for Kadabra and Machoke to finish the battle. Kadabra raised its spoon, Machoke raised a fist . . .

And Kadabra was stricken by a hail of pins.

"Viridian Police!" the Rogue's voice bellowed from the staircase. The detective nimbly leaped into the room from the staircase, followed by Stacy, Golbat, Beedrill, and half a dozen armed officers of the Celadon Police Force.

Julius scowled as the Rogue's posse surrounded them, "No! Not you again! Kadabra, Psybeam!" It took several seconds for Julius to notice that the damage Kadabra had sustained from Beedrill's Pin Missile was too much for it to bear; it had Fainted.

"I'll get these chumps!" Caesar arrogantly stepped up, "Machoke, Karate Chop—"

"Bite attack, go!" the Rogue commanded, and Golbat zoomed into battle, chomping down on Machoke's hand before the attack hit and making it Flinch.

"Yeah!" Dontae cheered, "Now, Poliwhirl, Body Slam it!" Poliwhirl seemed to grin as it received this command, and it bravely weathered its injuries to heave its entire girth into Machoke, bashing the Superpower Pokémon backward and making it land on its Trainer with a THUMP! Both Caesar and Machoke moaned in pain, unable to continue any further.

"All right, boys, take 'em away!" the Rogue quipped with a cocky smile, and the police force began incarcerating the two Rockets and reading them their rights. The Rogue approached Dontae as the two returned their Beedrill and Poliwhirl, respectively, "I figured you'd need some extra help after I passed a newsstand on the way here. The main headline was about a prison break and two missing convicts." The Rogue shrugged dismissively, "It was just a hunch."

Dontae grinned, "Thanks, cop. Now, you only owe me once."

The Rogue chuckled, "Who's counting?" He then approached the cages where the three Eevee still resided, shaking in fear from witnessing what had just transpired. "I take it these are the prize Pokémon for the games up top?"

"What's left of them," Dontae answered, "And now that Team Rocket's been booted out again, these little guys have nowhere to go."

There was an awkward pause, then the Rogue gave a long, winded sigh, "Now I don't owe you anything." He then produced a small metal object from his duster pocket, went forward to inspect the cages, and picked the locks on each one, unlocking the doors and freeing all three of them. One Eevee zoomed out and began to rub up against Dontae's leg. Another walked up to the Rogue and grinned. The third one, however, still seemed afraid and remained where it was.

The Rogue observed the Eevees' behaviors, and concluded, "Well, I guess that answers that." Both Trainers then produced a PokéBall, with Dontae offering it to the Eevee who befriended him, and the Rogue pausing to watch Julius and Caesar being hauled away. "Maybe this time," he moaned disappointedly, "they'll stay in jail."


	16. 16 - A Ghost of a Glance

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#16: A Ghost of a Glance

The Rogue stood in the middle of town square, surveying the people all around him who were bustling and cheering. Dontae stood at his left, hamming it up and getting the crowds even more excited. Stacy stood at the right, smiling coyly and waving to the strangers all around her. One zealous fellow even wolf-whistled to her, and she blushed heavily.

In front of the humans, their Pokémon stood proudly, drinking in the admiration. On the Rogue's side, Golbat and Charmeleon smiled and waved, but when they caught each other doing so, they growled at each other, each one trying to get the crowd's attention over the other. Sandslash stood stoically and haughtily, raising his claws up in the air and apparently getting the crowd to 'raise the roof'. Beedrill seemed pleased by the admiration it was getting for its impressive strength; each jab it made in the air caused the crowd to roar. Pikachu hopped and danced for the crowd, sparking its cheeks cutely and making several girls squeal in delight. The Rogue's newly adopted Eevee hid behind the other Pokémon, not feeling quite up for confrontation just yet.

On Dontae's side, Charmander was bouncing up and down, using its tail to get lift. Wartortle and Poliwhirl were hooting and hollering back at the crowd like pro wrestlers. Vulpix sat regally next to Dontae, choosing not to sully its dignity by joining its fellow teammates in stimulating the crowd. Dontae's Eevee was perhaps the biggest crowd-pleaser of all, performing backflips and somersaults, and various other feats of agility to get the crowd shouting for more.

Erika approached the group from within the crowd, smiling in her sunshine-yellow kimono. "Our thanks are many, and our debt is great," she said ceremoniously, "Team Rocket was a scourge among this town, and your courage and willingness to prioritize is an asset to us all. On behalf of the city of Celadon, I thank you, Detective, and your cohorts, and your Pokémon, for a job well done."

The Rogue kept emotion out of the equation, "I appreciate the gesture, Erika, but doesn't this seem like a bit much to you?"

"Nonsense!" Erika beamed, "Nothing less for a decorated investigatory professional. And as our thanks for ridding our fair city of the evil of Team Rocket, I present to you a gift." One of the people in the crowd, a young girl in scout's attire, ran out to hand Erika a cloth drawstring bag that was apparently filled with lumpy objects. She took one look at the Rogue, blushed and giggled as she ran back into the crowd.

"Generously provided by the hard-working men and women of the Celadon Department Store," Erika announced, "the city of Celadon presents you with a bag filled with evolutionary stones! Five each of the Water Stone, the Fire Stone, the Thunderstone, the Moon Stone, and my personal favorite, the Leaf Stone! Take them, with our everlasting gratitude."

The Rogue hesitantly took the bag of stones as Erika extended it out to him, "Uhh . . . thank you, Erika. But I still believe it's a little much."

"Oh, it's nothing, really!" Erika smiled, "With this, you may choose to evolve your new Eevee if you so decide! Oh! I almost forgot," she then reached up to her hairband, pulled something from her hair, and handed it out to the Rogue. It was shiny and eight-pointed, resembling Lieutenant Surge's ThunderBadge in shape but was far more colorful, living up to its namesake. "This is for defeating me, Detective," Erika offered with a smile.

The Rogue graciously took the RainbowBadge, automatically producing his wallet and pinning it to the inside, alongside his three other badges. "Thank you, Erika," the detective gratefully responded, "You're a credit to my case."

"You're quite welcome, Detective," Erika replied dreamily, "And good luck in your endeavors."

The Rogue was about to answer politely when a bustling in the crowd alerted him. From within the crowd, Officer Jenny emerged, breathless and apprehensive, her appearance disheveled from over-expended energy. The Rogue took a closer look, and saw that this was the Officer Jenny from Lavender Town.

"Greetings, Jenny," the Rogue greeted her with uncertainty, "What are you doing here?"

"D . . . Detective . . ." Jenny replied, just barely audible as she heaved in breath after breath, "E . . . emergency . . . at Lavender Town . . . just terrible . . . need . . . need your help . . ."

The Rogue found himself confounded by this new situation. It was bad enough following the trail of a mad terrorist like Kaine. He'd also had to dodge the vengeance of the Biker Underground, and he'd just learned that Team Rocket was indeed being controlled by a new boss. But out of everything the Rogue had seen in the past week, this seemed to top them all. He almost couldn't look at the crime scene because of how gruesome it was. Before him now, outside the entrance to the Pokémon Radio Tower in Lavender Town, was the corpse of a dead Pokémon.

By species, it was a Marowak, a Bonekeeper Pokémon and the evolved form of Cubone. It was just over three feet tall and colored a light brown, with a cream-colored belly that sported horizontal ridges. It was dinosaurian in appearance, bipedal with a long tail, and wore a stainless white skull on its head. It lay battered and broken on the ground, eyes staring blankly out of the skull's ocular cavities. It's bone, a Marowak's traditional weapon of choice, lay some ten feet away from it, discarded like a piece of trash.

Dontae and Stacy were both wide-eyed and open-mouthed at this macabre sight. Charmander was struggling to hold back tears, but eventually could not hold them back, and it began sobbing. Golbat wrapped its wings around the Lizard Pokémon to comfort it, its own face left uneasy by the crime scene.

Officer Jenny noticed the Rogue's hesitation, and gently interjected, "Detective? Do you need another minute or so?"

The Rogue was shaken back to his senses, took a deep, calming breath, and replied, "No, Jenny, I'm fine. It's just . . . this is my first murder case, that's all. How's the time of death looking?"

Officer Jenny responded diligently, "Nurse Joy puts the time of death early this morning. Poor thing was pushed off the roof of the Tower, it seems. The point of impact and fractures make that obvious. The only good news is that it didn't suffer."

The Rogue held back a shudder and continued, "I take it the Tower has been cordoned off?"

Jenny nodded, "The whole place is clear of suspects. I have three officers stationed on every floor and five guarding the doors. No human in, no human out."

Stacy suddenly broke in with a reluctant theory, "Wait, how do we know it was a human? It could've been an accident with another Pokémon?"

The Rogue shook his head, "There are no wild Pokémon in this Tower anymore, not since they converted it to a Radio Tower. And even if there were, the only other Pokémon who used to live in this Tower were Ghost-types and other Marowak and Cubone. A Ghost-type could have easily saved this creature's life, and Cubone and Marowak always help their own. Life is very sacred to them. Furthermore, there are no wounds or pre- or postmortem injuries to suggest a battle gone awry."

"Besides," Dontae added, a rare tinge of solemnity in his voice, "Pokémon have no concept of murder. Only humans do that, and only a human would have a sick enough mind to slay something as innocent as a Pokémon."

The Rogue was suddenly reminded of a case almost exactly like this one many years ago. "This has happened before, hasn't it?" he asked Officer Jenny, "A Marowak was killed protecting her young, correct?"

Jenny was surprised, but confirmed it, "Yes, that's true. A long time ago, Team Rocket was up to their usual tricks, but no one could have predicted they would stoop so low. Poor Mama Marowak never stood a chance . . ."

The Rogue was slowly beginning to put it all together, but needed more evidence. "Was there anything unusual about the roof?"

Jenny answered eagerly, "There were a few things scattered around, mementos and things like that, but nothing major. It was strange, though. It almost seemed like someone was ransacking the place . . ."

The Rogue suddenly got a hunch, and plucked his PokéCell from his duster pocket. After inputting some data, he found something mind-boggling, and showed the info on the screen to Dontae and Stacy.

"WHOA!" Dontae barked, astounded at what he just saw.

"Oh, my gosh!" Stacy gasped, "Look at all those zeroes! What could possibly be worth that much money?"

The Rogue answered sternly, "Black market Cubone skulls. The Cubone species is never seen without the skull of its dead mother on its head, and as such, it tends to fetch a lot of money on the black market. I'm betting that's what the Rockets were after the first time, right, Jenny?"

Jenny must have caught the sum before the Rogue showed it around, for her face showed amazement, as well. However, she maintained her professionalism, "Uh, yes, Detective. Why? You think they could be back? I have been hearing reports of resurgences."

"Not likely," the detective replied, "I just took care of Team Rocket back in Celadon. Besides, this doesn't look like their _modus operandi_. Any Rocket would've used something more violent, like bombs or bludgeoning objects. This looks like the perpetrator was caught in the act of something, and had to take care of the witnesses."

"So let me see if I get what you're saying," Dontae cut in again, "You think that whoever killed this Marowak was trying to rip off Cubone or Marowak skulls to sell on the black market, and this Marowak was killed trying to stop them?"

"It wouldn't be the first time," the Rogue answered simply, "but still, nothing's for sure until we can catch the killer."

"Ah, the infamous Rogue, come to save the day!"

The Rogue turned toward the voice, and saw a small group of people walk up to them from the southern half of town. Most of them were young people, from ten-year-olds to young adults, but leading the group was a much older gentleman with a calm, benign look on his face.

"Ah, Fuji-san!" the Rogue greeted the older man genially, "Yes, it seems I've been called in to investigate this crime. I wish we could've met again under better circumstances, though."

The older man sighed, "Indeed, my friend, and congratulations on the evolution of your Zubat!"

Golbat chittered happily, remembering the kind old man equally well.

Dontae seemed confused, "So, you know Mr. Fuji?"

The Rogue nodded, "I was here on a case some years back to handle graverobbers at the House of Memories. That's where they moved the Pokémon graves after they converted the Tower into a radio station."

"Really?" Stacy asked, intrigued, "I figured they'd need a new place to put the graves. Still, I always wondered what they did with every one of them."

Suddenly, the Rogue was struck with an idea. "Fuji-san," he asked the older gentleman, "When this Tower was converted, how many graves were relocated? _Exactly_ how many?"

Mr. Fuji's eyes were alight, as if realizing what the Rogue meant. "All of them but one," he responded carefully, "the grave of the first Marowak that gave her life to save her child. This Cubone is a descendant of that very Marowak." He then gestured to a young man in his group, and he stepped forward, clutching a young Cubone in his arms. Cubone looked like a miniature Marowak, complete with skull helmet and a bone in its hand. The shiny eyes that blinked tears out from within the skull were shaken and melancholy, such was the case for most Cubone. This one, though, was different. This one seemed to be suffering genuine loss.

The Rogue stared into the eyes of the Lonely Pokémon, and realized that the Marowak that lay dead here today must've been the mother of this creature. For one brief moment, the Rogue pitied the poor Ground-type; he, the hardened detective, knew what it was like to lose a loved one. He knew what it was like to suddenly be orphaned. His heart went out to Cubone, genuinely empathetic to the Pokémon's dejection and misery. The feeling was so sudden and so tremendous, he felt a tear slide down his cheek before he could hold it back.

Gaining back his composure, he resumed his mind's work on the case at hand, "Well, my first problem was motive. What could possibly be left of the Cubone skulls now that the Tower no longer houses the graves? Then it occurred to me, the first Marowak's remains will probably still be in a special place in that Tower."

Jenny joined in the realization, "That's where the Mama Marowak's remains are! They're on the top floor of the Tower! It's kind of a good luck charm for the Tower, as well as a reminder of the Tower's beginnings!"

The Rogue almost grinned with how close he was to the truth, "Exactly. And now, who would have the opportunity? Where are the records of who goes in and out of the top floor?"

"No need for that, my friend," Mr. Fuji replied, "I can attest that the only ones to enter that floor between late last night and today were myself and my young aides." He gestured to them before continuing, "We went there to pray for the departed spirit of Mother Marowak."

The Rogue frowned and sighed. He was afraid of this. "Well, I'm sorry, Fuji-san," he said with a hint of discouragement in his tone, "but this means that the murderer is amongst us right now."

Everyone gasped, and Mr. Fuji's group all chatted animatedly amongst themselves, seemingly trying to weed out the killer from their midst.

Mr. Fuji seemed unable to believe it, "But, Detective, I can assure you, none of these good young people is capable—"

"I'm afraid anyone is capable of murder, Fuji-san," the Rogue interrupted him, "It all depends on the circumstances. And the circumstances put you all there." The Rogue hesitated before he continued, "Yes, even you, Fuji-san."

Dontae spoke up again, intrigued as well as mortified, "Well, then let's figure it out! Who could possibly have been up on the top floor plotting murder?!"

The Rogue was almost ready to admit that he was stumped on that detail, until he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned, and everyone turned toward it as well. It was the fallen Marowak's bone. The Rogue raced toward it, pulled a pair of tweezers from his duster, and picked up the object, closely examining it without touching it with his hands. Upon inspection, the Rogue found marks etched into the bone, obviously by some outside source.

"Observe!" he proclaimed to the crowd, gently holding up the evidence with tweezers, "This bone has marks that suggests a battle indeed did take place on that floor. Obviously, this means that Marowak chose to defend rather than attack and risk harming itself or the surrounding area. These marks are far too wide to be a claw mark, and even so, a claw mark that size would have left this bone splintered. My guess: tooth marks."

"Tooth marks?" Stacy answered, "But what Pokémon could possibly leave tooth marks that big in solid bone?"

"Simple," the Rogue's voice grew haughtier the more he went on, "these marks are rodential in nature, and Pokémon like Pikachu, Sandshrew and Rattata are far too small to leave a mark that size."

"So, the perpetrator's Pokémon has evolved?" Mr. Fuji inquired.

"Precisely," the Rogue answered, "And Raichu teeth are not known to grow too much past evolution, and Sandslash teeth are the wrong shape for this kind of mark. This leads me to believe that the mark was caused by a Raticate. You see how the mark is flat and perfectly straight where the bite begins? That's the mark of a Raticate."

"So this means," Dontae realized, "that the killer battled Marowak with a Raticate!"

"Right!" the Rogue confirmed, "And since our potential suspects are all gathered in one place, all we need to do is inspect their Pokémon. Whoever summons a Raticate, or refuses to summon a Pokémon at all, is our guy."

Mr. Fuji's group all chatted amongst themselves, each one convincing another to go first. After a while, a ten-year old girl stepped forward, a brave look in her eyes, and took out her only PokéBall. With a flash and a PANG, a small, squat, and yellow duck-like creature appeared next to her. Psyduck held its head in its paws and looked up at the Rogue with a blank stare, "Duck?"

The Rogue nodded, "I'm sorry about this, my dear. Procedure, you understand." He then allowed her to return her Pokémon, and another person stepped up, a slightly older boy. He appeared to be fearful of the consequences should he produce the wrong Pokémon, but still complied, opening his only Ball with a PANG! In a flash, a mid-sized, pink, quadrupedal Pokémon stood at attention, waving the horn on its head and shaking the sharp spikes all over its body.

The boy returned his Nidorino at the Rogue's allowance, and the unusual interrogation began.

PANG!

A teenage girl summoned her Clefairy, a pink, round fluffy Pokémon with beady eyes, rosy cheeks, and tiny, fairy-like wings on its back. It danced around merrily and sang, "Clefaaaaaaaaa-reeeeeeeeeee!"

PANG! PANG!

Another preteen boy summoned a Magnemite and a Slowpoke, the latter of which was small, pink, and quadrupedal, almost reptilian in nature. It looked quite slow to understand, and eyed the Rogue with a look that seemed to say, 'I neither know what you are, nor do I care, do you have food?'

PANG!

A young woman revealed her sole Pokémon, a Persian (the evolved form of Meowth), which resembled a large, beige cat with a red jewel in its forehead. It meowed discontentedly and curled up to take a nap.

The only member of the group, the young man holding the Cubone, was hesitant. He seemed shaky and anxious as he held Cubone. The Ground-type seemed far too distant to realize that the man holding him was sweating profusely.

"Herman," Mr. Fuji coaxed him, "Go ahead, child, show the Rogue your Pokémon and let's be done with this tribulation."

Herman did not answer, and he grew even more shaky, almost dropping the Cubone he held in his arms.

"Herman, my dear boy," Mr. Fuji calmly approached, "There's nothing to be afraid of. I mean, you don't honestly expect us to believe that you—" That's when it suddenly made sense to everyone. The entire group was struck with realization, and the same look of overwhelming shock spread like a plague throughout the vicinity.

"Oh, Herman," Mr. Fuji sighed wearily, the first to put realization into words, "Herrman, please tell me you didn't . . ."

"I thought so," the Rogue established, "You were the only one to be holding Cubone all this time. Whether because of guilt or if you needed a hostage, I wasn't quite sure, but I had a feeling it would be you."

Mr. Fuji tried once again to approach Herman gently, "Please, Herman, end this now. I'm sure if you confess now, they'll be far more lenient on you."

PANG!

"Hyper Fang!"

Herman had summoned Raticate, and quickly ordered its attack on the Rogue. With only a second to react, the Rogue made the attempt to miss the attack—only to be saved by the even faster reaction time of his partner. Golbat swept the Rogue out of the way with his wing and took the attack in his stead, blocking with its other wing and resulting in a nasty break.

Without another motion, Herman dropped Cubone and raced toward the entrance to the Radio Tower. Left in the wake of surprise, the Rogue got up and chased the suspect, running through the doors of the Radio Tower directly after him. Dontae and Charmander ran just behind, with Stacy bringing up the rear.

The Rogue scrutinized the area on the first floor of the Tower, seeing nothing but a reception desk and five injured police officers on the ground. The Rogue wasted no time in getting answers, "Which way is he headed?!"

One of the officers answered weakly, "He went up the stairs . . ."

The Rogue cursed under his breath, then proceeded to pick five PokéBalls from his duster and open them all with a massive PAAAAANG! Charmeleon, Sandslash, Beedrill, Pikachu and Eevee stood at attention, all prepared to assist in any way.

Dontae, Stacy and Charmander had caught up by this time, and Dontae was the first to show his eagerness to help, "What can we do, _Capitan_?"

The Rogue began to brief the group, "Stacy, you get to the Pokémon Center and stay there! We can't trust this guy not to do to us what he did to that Marowak. Get one of these officers to escort you." Stacy nodded and proceeded to help the officers to their feet, asking for their help in the way the Rogue had just described.

"Dontae," the Rogue turned to the younger Trainer, "You and your team stay here and make sure he doesn't escape. Nobody comes in, and nobody goes out. Also, tell my partner and Mr. Fuji to watch the outside of the building in case he decides to climb down the side. Got it?"

Dontae nodded determinedly, "You betcha!" Charmander gave a rigid salute, the same fiery determination in its eyes.

"Good," the Rogue was satisfied, then turned to his own team, "All right, guys, follow me!" And with that, the detective led his Poké-posse up the stairs to the second floor.

The group made it quickly to the second floor, and instantly began searching every empty room. Every recording booth and studio room turned up empty, and no inch of the room went unchecked by the Rogue's Pokémon; each room was cleared by one of them before the others were inspected.

The Rogue saw another set of wounded guards, "It's okay, officers! Everything's under control! If you can no longer stand guard, go to the ground floor immediately for medical assistance." After the officers resumed their protection of the second floor, the detective then gave a two-fingered whistle, and his entire team converged toward him. "All right, guys," he briefed them, "The rest of these guards are not gonna be expecting what this suspect's about to do. They need extra backup from us." He then bent down to address Pikachu, "Little one, I need you to stay here and help them guard the second floor. Just make sure no one gets hurt. Can you do that for me?"

Pikachu was inquisitive at first, then seemed emotionally burdened. Finally, though, its eyes became steely and resolute, "Pika-pika!"

"Good," the Rogue replied, then turned to the rest of his team, "Beedrill, you take the third floor. Sandslash, you've got the fourth, and Charmeleon, you take the fifth. Be on the lookout for a suspect commanding a Raticate, and protect the innocent at all costs. Do you understand?"

Charmeleon, Beedrill and Sandslash nodded, and Charmeleon led its teammates up the stairs, each one ready and willing to go above and beyond the call of duty.

"This just leaves you, Eevee," the Rogue addressed his newest addition, "Since you have the least experience out of the group, I'll be going with you to the sixth floor. I wish your first real battle was under different circumstances, but I need your help with this. This suspect is dangerous, and he cannot be allowed to escape. Understand?"

Eevee nodded silently, a look of reposed stillness in its face.

The Rogue admired the Normal-type's serenity, but pushed it aside and bade it accompany him up the stairs, past all the other floors to which the Rogue's other Pokémon were assigned. Once on the sixth floor, the Rogue saw a confrontation on the next staircase; Herman was escaping up the stairs to the final floor, his Raticate just ahead of him, beating up more officers.

"STOP! POLICE!" the Rogue ordered, knowing too late that it wouldn't do any good. Herman continued racing up the stairs, and the Rogue followed, Eevee running loyally at his side. The duo scaled the last flight of stairs, and Eevee stood erect, ready to fight, on the seventh floor. The Rogue joined it, and saw Herman reaching up to the ceiling, trying to pull down what appeared to be a collapsible ladder that led up to the roof. His Raticate stood next to him, hissing and growling at the Rogue and Eevee. In the corner of the room was a small, white tomb, the lid of which appeared to be crooked, as if someone had tried to move it. All over the floor, mementos and offerings had been strewn about, such as pictures, flowers and the like.

"Enough running, Herman!" the Rogue commanded, "You need to answer for what you did to that Marowak!"

Herman turned to look at the Rogue, and the look on the young man's face threw him greatly. Instead of that heartless, conscienceless desperation that was most prevalent with escaping criminals, Herman's was a look of torture, anguish, as if he felt genuinely guilty about taking the life of that Marowak. His eyes were watery and his skin was blanched, and the shaking he experienced at the foot of the Tower was heavily amplified.

The Rogue saw this look, and he felt his heart soften up. He had seen the look of a guilty person before, and this was certainly not the look of the guilty. "Herman," he attempted to calmly persuade him, "Let us try to help you. Evading capture will only make things worse. Tell us what happened, and we'll work something out."

"I can't!" Herman argued, his voice broken with fear, "I can't do it! I'll never be able to face anyone after what I did! Not the cops, not Mr. Fuji, not you! No one will ever forgive me for this! Raticate, Tackle!" Raticate charged into battle, aiming its Tackle at the Rogue.

The detective's battle instincts fired up, "Eevee, Sand-Attack!" Eevee jumped into the fray, turning around and sweeping its back legs at Raticate, kicking up a cloud of sand. The sand struck Raticate in the face, compromising its aim and making Tackle miss.

The Rogue tried again to persuade the young man, "Please, Herman! It's all right if you made a mistake. Making a mistake is not a bad thing unless you refuse to own up to it! You must stop resisting and confess!"

"You don't understand!" Herman screamed back, his anxiety still breaking his voice, "My life is over! Do you have any idea what it's like to know you're responsible for taking the life of another living thing?! That Marowak didn't do anything to me, and now it's dead! How can I face my friends and family with that?! Swift!" Raticate obeyed, and whipped its tail at Eevee, releasing a barrage of star-shaped rays of light from it. The star-rays struck instantly, and Eevee was forced back by the strike.

"Now, Shock Wave!" Herman ordered, and Raticate yelled as it released an atom-shaped web of lightning at Eevee, just as Lieutenant Surge's Raichu had done. The web struck Eevee even harder, and Eevee was knocked back, landing directly in front of the Rogue, on the verge of defeat.

"Eevee!" the Rogue called out to it, kneeling before it to inspect its wounds, "Are you all right, my friend? I'm so sorry, I was a fool to let you battle such a strong opponent so soon. We can get some backup, but I can't let you keep this up!"

Eevee looked up at the Rogue calmly, and the foxlike creature seemed to smile. It then proceeded to stick its face into the Rogue's duster, pick around in his pocket, and pluck something out, making it land on the floor. It was the drawstring bag Erika had given him earlier that day; as it hit the ground, the bag fell open and the contents, dozens of elemental stones, fell out and scattered all over the floor. Eevee raced toward the stash, picked up a stone at random, and began to glow.

Both the Rogue and Herman had to shield their eyes as Eevee's body was shrouded in luminescence. At once, its body began to change into its next form, then back again in ever-quickening succession. Finally, the glow faded, and where Eevee once stood, a completely new Pokémon barked out a battle cry, "San-Da!"

It did not differ radically from Eevee, except that it was slightly bigger, and instead of soft, brown fur, it sported coarse, sharpened fur that was colored bright yellow. It also had a shaggy white mane around its neck, which seemed to sizzle with electricity. The Rogue marveled at his new Jolteon as it stood, stoic and proud, at peace with the world despite the situation.

Before making another command, the Rogue made one last attempt to break through to Herman, "Please don't make me do this. You can still save yourself the pain."

Herman was reluctant to speak, grief crippling his words, " . . . It . . . . it was an accident. I swear . . . I swear it was . . . it was an accident . . ." Eventually though, his decision was made, "U-u-use Shock Wave!" Raticate glanced back at its Trainer with what appeared to be a look of pity, before launching another web of electricity at its foe. This time, though, Jolteon took the attack, but did not feel pained. It didn't even flinch. In fact, it seemed to be smiling. When the attack ceased, Jolteon flexed its legs and roared with exuberant vitality, "Saaaaaaan-daaaaaaaa!"

The Rogue was impressed by Jolteon's new Ability, Volt Absorb. It had absorbed the Rat Pokémon's attack and converted the electrical energy into health, gaining back nearly all its strength. The Rogue took quick advantage and made his command, "Use Double-Kick!" Jolteon rushed in, the first half of its attack launched by its forelegs, slamming painfully into Raticate. For the second half, Jolteon turned and performed a donkey-style kick with its hind legs, knocking Raticate back several feet.

"R-R-Raticate, Tackle," Herman ordered, his voice now shrinking with meekness. The Normal-type still obeyed, and charged Jolteon again, aiming its girth right for it.

"Use Thundershock!" the Rogue retaliated, and Jolteon's jagged pelt began to glow. The Electric-type unleashed a thin bolt of lightning that struck Raticate as it charged, Paralyzing it instantly. Raticate collapsed as it stood, unable to move due to the Paralysis.

The Rogue took this opportunity to finish the battle, "Now, use Quick Attack!" Jolteon nodded, and in a blink, it vanished, covering the distance between it and its foe in such a way that would have made Golbat do a double-take. Its speed living up to its classification, the Lightning Pokémon rammed into Raticate with all of its might. The force of the strike blew Raticate into the ceiling and threw it back down to the ground, where it moaned in agony before losing consciousness.

That's when the trapdoor to the roof opened. The force of Raticate slamming into the ceiling knocked the trapdoor loose, allowing it to fall open and extend the collapsible ladder from inside.

Herman quickly returned his Raticate and jumped onto the ladder, crawling upwards towards the roof. The Rogue returned his Jolteon before quickly following him, heaving himself up each rung faster than the last. He climbed up through the hole in the ceiling and propped himself up onto the roof. Looking all around the top of the Tower, he saw an enormous satellite construct built in the middle, slowly rotating and emitting radio signals to the far corners of the Kanto region. At first, there was no sign of anyone else, until the Rogue raced around the satellite to the other side of the building roof. Herman was standing next to the edge of the roof, even more shaky and bleach-skinned than ever.

"Herman, it's over!" the Rogue called out to him, the winds blowing over the roof making him hardly audible, "There's nowhere else for you to run! If it really was an accident, then you have to tell me! Just back away from the edge and explain what happened!"

Herman hesitated, his outward guilt having a more profound effect on his appearance by the minute. For a moment, he seemed to want to hurl himself off the edge of the roof to his doom. Finally, his voice rang out above the howling winds, "When the owners of the Tower bought the building, they helped move the Pokémon graves, but they refused to move Mother Marowak's tomb. I begged and pleaded with them to move her remains to Mr. Fuji's House of Memories so she could rest in peace, but they wouldn't listen to me. So I decided to move Marowak's body myself. I had a brand new tomb built for her, and I went into the building a few hours before everyone came to work. I went to the seventh floor and tried to open the tomb, but another Marowak caught me. It must've thought I was a graverobber, because it attacked me, and I had no choice but to use my Raticate to defend myself."

The Rogue realized that the graverobber angle he had speculated before was half-correct. Marowak had indeed attacked with good intentions, but the culprit was not interested in stealing Marowak's skull.

"The battle moved up to the roof," Herman continued, his voice continuing to break, "And it was about to attack when I made Raticate use Hyper Fang. But I didn't see where Marowak was until it was too late, and Raticate struck before I told it not to. It was right in front of the edge . . . it fell off . . . I was so panicked, I tore up the seventh floor to make it look like a robbery . . . but I should've just confessed . . . that Marowak is dead, and it's all my fault . . . I killed that poor Pokémon . . . . . I'm sorry . . . I'm so sorry!" Herman could no longer speak, and collapsed onto his knees, sobbing shamefully. His shaking finally overcame him, and now he seemed unable to move at all. He pressed his face into his lap and hugged his knees close to him, looking as though he were now unfit for life due to his actions.

And the crumbling edge of the roof seemed to know it.

Realizing too late that the ancient paneling was giving out, Herman tried to stand and run, but could not escape; his foot slipped and he fell screaming off the side of the roof. The Rogue's reflexes pushed him forward, and he bolted toward the edge, reaching out to grab Herman's arm before losing him to the fall. Legs moving for all he was worth, the Rogue stuck out his hand, Herman disappeared over the side of the building, the detective gripped and . . .

Caught him.

The roof tiles weakening even more from the traction of the Rogue's feet, it gave way once again, and the Rogue reached out to grab the edge of the building as he too felt himself falling. By now, the Rogue was hanging off the edge of the building with one hand while gripping Herman's arm with the other. His pulse thundered and his he swore his heart was breaking his ribcage with how hard it was beating. "Hang on, Herman!" he desperately called out, "Grab my arm and don't let go!"

"No!" Herman called back, still only barely audible over the wind, but still clearly traumatized, "Save yourself, Detective! Just let me go! I deserve it for what I did to Marowak!"

"Stop talking nonsense!" the Rogue barked back, "Our fates will be the same! No one else will lose his life today!" This was getting more and more difficult for even the Rogue to believe. The detective could not reach Jolteon's PokéBall in his duster, and Herman had already given up; he was not even attempting to grasp his savior's hand. His arms and chest were searing with pain, and the remaining roofing tile under his hand was crumbling. Slowly, it began to sink into the Rogue's mind; he wouldn't let it at first, but eventually, he allowed it to settle into his head.

He was going to die. And that meant that he was going to fail.

He could see his life flashing before his eyes, all in one instant. He saw the Pokémon merchandise aisle of the local supermarket that his mother had taken him through when he was six. He saw the letter his father left for him on the day his Trainer journey was meant to begin. He saw the neighbors' missing Growlithe that he had found at twelve. He saw a wounded Zubat on the cavern floor of Victory Road when he was fourteen. He saw Dontae and Charmander standing on a raised platform in the Viridian Gym mere days earlier. He saw Stacy trembling beneath her sleeping bag in the darkness of the Viridian Forest. He saw his Zubat, his loyal partner, evolve into Golbat while battling Misty. He saw every Gym battle he fought, every Badge he won, every criminal he ever faced. And somehow, it finally occurred to him that it was all for nothing.

The roofing crumbled into dust under his hand, and the Rogue felt himself falling, the vertigo of his plunge eating away at his consciousness. He only hoped that Dontae would take care of Stacy and capture Kaine for him, and that Golbat would find decent homes for his other five Pokémon. At the moment just before the darkness overtook him, his only regret was that he knew how disappointed his mother would be when they saw each other again.

The light peered into his vision as his eyes opened. At first, everything was vague and formless, but after a few blinks, the world around him came into focus. He was indoors, and there was a light directly above him. On his left was a series of beds, and in front of him was a blond-haired angel, kneeling in front of the foot of the bed he was in and sleeping peacefully. His attention was brought to an old, benign voice in front of him, "Ah, you're up! Welcome back to the living, my friend!"

The Rogue sat up in his bed and looked around, seeing the inside of a bedroom area of some sort. In front of him and a table of breakfast foods at the foot of the bed was Mr. Fuji, his furrowed yet benevolent features alight with relief. Off to his side, propped up in a chair pushed up against the wall, was Dontae, also sound asleep. His Charmander was sound asleep in his lap, its tail-flame subdued with sleep. Surrounding him on the floor were Vulpix, Wartortle, Poliwhirl and Eevee, all of them as deep asleep as their Trainer.

At the foot of the bed, Stacy stirred, then got up, gazing sleepy-eyed at the Rogue. Her face then glowed with overwhelming joy, "You're awake!", and she threw her arms around the detective, "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay! I thought I'd never get to see you again!" She then excitedly turned to Dontae and his team, "Hey, guys, he's awake! He's awake, wake up! Look, he's awake!"

Dontae stirred, and Charmander was automatically awakened, tail burning bright. "Good evening, Rip van Winkle," the younger Trainer cracked with a wry smile, "You gave us a bit of a scare, you know that?"

Stacy finished hugging the Rogue, and he continued to blink until his comprehension was at full capacity. "What do you mean, 'evening'?" he asked with a sleepy, slightly pained voice, "How long have I been out?"

"Actually, it early in the morning," Mr. Fuji corrected, "You've been out for nearly three days, my friend."

"WHAT?!" the Rogue bolted upright, jumping out of the bed and rushing around the room, looking for his duster. When he found that it was missing, and felt urgency press him harder, "Where's my duster?! And where are my Pokémon?! We are way off schedule! We have to go, now!" 

"Relax, Tintin!" Dontae calmed him, his voice still dulled with sleep as well, "Your team's downstairs, worried sick about you ever since we found you. Incidentally, you need to help us tie up some loose ends, partner."

The Rogue sighed, attempting to calm himself, "You're right. First off, where's Herman? Did he make it?"

"Herman woke up a few hours before you," Stacy explained, "He's downstairs waiting for the police to come get him."

Mr. Fuji nodded slowly, adding, "He told us everything, and we've forgiven him. Since it was an accident, he'll do his time, community service or whatever it is they'll want. He's even volunteered to adopt the orphan Cubone as soon as he gets back. Isn't that a happy ending?"

"That's not really what I had in mind, Mr. Fuji," Dontae continued, then turned back to the detective, "What happened to you? We saw you and Herman about to fall off the roof. It took me, Stacy, Mr. Fuji and my whole team to keep Golbat from getting up there with that broken wing. Then when we saw you fall, you just . . . disappeared!"

Stacy proceeded, "We didn't see where you landed, so we went looking for you for a few minutes. Then we found you both unconscious in front of Mr. Fuji's front door." She seemed to hesitate before adding, "We were so worried about you."

The Rogue's face was etched with questioning, but he shook off the bizarreness of the explanation before rushing for the stairs, "We have to get moving." The Rogue raced down the stairs to the ground floor, and instantly saw his team of Pokémon waiting in the far corner of the room. At once, they all raced toward him and embraced him. Charmeleon and Sandslash cried out joyfully, Beedrill poked the Rogue in the back playfully with its stingers, and Jolteon rubbed up against his legs, smoothing down its spiky fur to do so. Pikachu, however, was less jovial; it slammed its tiny fists into the Rogue's shins and screamed in frustration, "Pika-pika-pika-pika-pika-pika-pika-pika!" It continued hitting the Rogue with a machine-gun speed in its paws, one right after the other rapidly, "Chuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

The Rogue calmly bent down to pick up the struggling Mouse Pokémon, "It's all right little one! I'm okay now! I know you were worried about me, but I'm okay now. Everything is all right now, okay? It's all right."

Pikachu seemed to respond to the Rogue's tranquil words, and slowly calmed down. After a few minutes, Pikachu curled up into a tiny little ball and went to sleep, cradled in the Rogue's arms. The Rogue looked around for his team's PokéBalls, found them on a chair-side table against the far wall, and took up Pikachu's Ball, returning it to the device out from his arms. The Rogue took the other four Balls, turned around, and saw Dontae, Stacy and Mr. Fuji all looking at him with different expressions. Mr. Fuji was calm as usual, with a hint of shrewd perception. Stacy smiled with misty eyes. Dontae's eyebrow was raised, and Charmander stood next to him with the same expression.

Unprepared for a confrontation of this kind, the Rogue curtly replied, "What are you looking at? I know what I'm doing."

"Good for you," Dontae quipped, "But you still haven't explained what happened to you after you fell."

The Rogue was about to answer that he had no idea, when the door suddenly opened, and Nurse Joy walked in the door, followed by the Rogue's Golbat, its left wing bandaged and splinted. "Hello, all!" the Nurse Joy of Lavender Town said jovially, "Detective! I'm glad to see you're up! Well, your Golbat is all better now! Just make it stay off its wing for a couple days, and it should be just fine!"

The Rogue smiled as his partner approached and draped its good wing around his shoulder. "Thank you, old friend," the detective greeted the Bat Pokémon warmly, "You took an attack that was meant for me. I'll never forget that."

Golbat merely chittered and grinned, tapping the Rogue on the back with its wing genially.

"Wonderful!" Dontae groaned, "Lovely! Absolutely heartwarming! Now will you please explain where the hell you went!"

The Rogue scowled at Dontae's briskness, then calmly addressed Golbat again, "Golbat, I don't suppose you have any idea what happened to Herman and me after we fell, do you?"

Golbat seemed to process this for a while, then caught sight of something behind the Rogue, and brought it to his attention by pointing with its good wing. The Rogue turned, and saw a small white tomb on a far wall, right next to a hall. It was similar to the tomb on the top floor of the Radio Tower, so the Rogue assumed that was the new resting place for the Mother Marowak that Herman was talking about. Sitting before the tomb was the orphaned Cubone, kneeling before the tomb with its skull-covered face propped up against its bone. It appeared to be showing its respect to the Pokémon that came before it by praying.

The Rogue was unsure what to make of it, until he remembered one bizarre aspect of the first murdered Marowak case. "Oh, no," the Rogue panned the suggestion almost immediately, "You can't be serious. Don't tell me you think that Marowak's ghost was behind all this."

Golbat shrugged, implying that it thought the theory was entirely plausible.

The Rogue chuckled, "Look, Golbat, I've put up with a lot of things in my career, but the supernatural is definitely not one of them." The Rogue glanced back at the Marowak tomb, then did several double-takes at what he now saw. Laying on top of the white tomb, perfectly folded, was the Rogue's duster. His PokéCell lay on top of it, fully charged and functional.

The Rogue was dumbfounded. "That," he attempted to establish, "That . . . that wasn't there before, was it?"

Golbat shook its head, its grin widening at the possibility that its unspoken hypothesis may have been correct after all.

With nothing else to say, the Rogue slowly picked up his PokéCell and duster and donned them, mentally concluding that there were indeed some things in life that just could not be explained.


	17. 17 - Situation at Silph

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#17: Situation at Silph

A day and a half had passed since the bizarre case of the Marowak murder, and the Rogue and company were back on the road. Against the wishes of Nurse Joy, the Rogue consulted his Golbat over whether it felt well enough to proceed; Golbat agreed, despite not being fully healed just yet, and the group set off. This was the perfect time for the Rogue to explain to Dontae, Stacy and the other Pokémon why the detective's Eevee was now a Jolteon.

Pikachu was the only one who was unimpressed.

However, this gave Dontae something to think about as they rolled down the road to Saffron City, "So, what should I evolve _my_ Eevee into? The only evolutions left are Vaporeon and Flareon, and I specialize in both of their types. That, and I want to try and keep that theme even, three Fire-types and three Water-types. Which one should I go with?"

"'The only evolutions left'?" the Rogue questioned, "That's not what I heard."

"You could have both, you know," Stacy reasoned, "There's still that third Eevee you sent to Viridian City. Why don't you train them both, evolve one into Vaporeon and the other into Flareon?"

Dontae shook his head, "That poor thing doesn't need to be any more stressed out than it already is. It took the Rogue, Charmander and me just to pry it out of the cage. Trust me, it'll be better off living a quiet life in Viridian."

The Rogue wasn't so sure it would be a quiet life in Viridian for much longer. The Rogue had already lost a substantial amount of time in Lavender Town, and while that did indeed give the tollbooths time to finish repairs, there was no time to be complacent. Saffron City was the site of the next Gym, and the Rogue was on a roll in collecting badges. Granted, the city was a magnet for crime in past years, mainly due to the location of the Silph building, but the Rogue was determined to remain undistracted.

However, the thought of the Silph building brought up an important detail in Stacy's case. "Stacy," the detective inquired, "You said before that your father worked for Silph, correct?"

Stacy gasped in realization, "Yes, I did! And we're going to Saffron, aren't we? We need to get to the Silph building! My father might have come back! I need to make sure he's safe!"

The Rogue expected a development like this, and cursed under his breath. "I . . ." he hesitated, not knowing what to say that wouldn't discourage her, "I don't know . . . I don't think we can afford to be any more off schedule—"

"Oh, please!" Dontae rolled his eyes, "It's a quick stop to the Silph building on the way to the Gym! They have pretty tight security, so we could even let her go by herself if she wants! If he's there, we pick him up and take him with us! If not, we move on to the Gym, watch you spank Sabrina, and go on our merry way!"

"But Dontae," Stacy's voice grew more worried by the moment, "My father's invention for Silph is the reason Kaine came after us both! If his research is still inside that building, Kaine could still be after it, and if Daddy came back, he could be in danger!"

"I very much doubt it," the Rogue parried, "Kaine has put too much work into his plans at the Plateau to slip up now. He knows that if he went to such an obvious place, I'd catch him on the spot."

Stacy seemed resolute in her decision. "I don't wanna take that chance, Rogue!" she cried, eyeing him with frustrated desperation, "I want to make sure my father is safe! I'll go all by myself if I have to!"

The detective was taken aback by her outburst, so much so that he nearly swerved off the road. He could see the tollbooth leading into Saffron City, slowly growing in the distance, and he groaned to himself. Once again, his mission was to be forcibly postponed, allowing Kaine more time to enact his maniacal plan. However, if Stacy's hunch was right, and Kaine did indeed intend to tie up a loose end at Silph involving Stacy's father, then the Rogue could cease his mission early and catch Kaine in the act, saving the Plateau and ending his absurd quest for badges. It was just as well, as Dontae pointed out, that the Silph building should be in Saffron City, where the Rogue's next badge opportunity lie. If Kaine was absent, but Stacy's father was present, they could secure him and move on with their main plan without much difficulty.

_Hopefully_ not much difficulty, at least.

The Rogue gave another aggravated sigh, "All right, we'll make the stop. Since you seem unshakeable in your resolve, Stacy, you'll just have to come with us. But you are to stay with Dontae or myself at all times. You do not go off by yourself for any reason. If one of us tells you to run, hide, or leave the building, you do it. Understand?"

Stacy's face was stony with resolve. She nodded wordlessly.

The Rogue gave another defeated sigh, "All right, we'll stop at the Pokémon Center first to heal our teams, then we put the Saffron PD on alert. Even if there's a small chance something might be wrong there, I'm not going to take risks. If we go, we go prepared."

Stacy nodded again, "Right. Don't worry, Rogue, you can count on me."

"No prob!" Dontae quipped in his usual zealous manner, "Right now, I feel like I could take on Kaine by myself!" He then looked directly above, where Charmander was flying on Golbat's back, "Right, buddy?!"

Charmander called back, "CHAR!", mirroring his Trainer's eager determination.

All had gone smoothly at the Pokémon Center, and the entire Saffron Police Department was out on patrol, most of them surrounding the Silph Company building. The Rogue, Dontae and Stacy were now making their careful way inside, Golbat and Charmander treading softly behind them. The outside of the building did no justice to the grandiosity of the lobby; it was spacious, clean, and ornate, with expensive-looking wallpaper and an enormous, regal fountain directly in the middle of a large pool that took up most of the ground floor. The entire place was bare, save for one person behind the receptionist's desk, a small, demure, but attractive young woman.

The Rogue swiftly made his way to the desk, his duster gently flowing behind him. Stacy and Dontae followed quickly behind, and Golbat and Charmander wandered around slightly, in awe of their lavish surroundings. When the humans approached the desk, the small receptionist greeted them cheerfully, "Welcome to Silph Company, your answer to all your Pokémon Training needs! How may I help you?"

The Rogue quickly flashed his badge, "Can you direct me to the CEO's room? I'm afraid it's a matter of great importance."

The tiny woman's eyes widened slightly at the Rogue's badge, and she answered his question quickly, yet nervously, "Twelfth floor, across from the boardroom. Is there a problem?"

The Rogue's voice was subtly daunting, "Not yet, there isn't." With that, he directed his human and Pokémon cohorts to follow him to the elevator, which was located on the other side of the lobby. All the while, the Rogue pondered the situation; exactly what kind of danger were they in for, should it present itself? What was so important to Kaine that would make him risk disrupting his plans for the Plateau? And would he really put the life of an ordinary Silph worker in jeopardy just for a company product?

Once in the elevator, the detective made his inquiries heard, "Stacy, what exactly did your father invent that Kaine wants to get his hands on?"

Stacy shrugged without turning, "He never talked about his invention. He hardly ever talked about work. All I knew is that it would revolutionize Pokémon Training."

The Rogue considered all aspects of this mission; he knew what must obviously be done if Kaine were to arrive, as Stacy predicted. If Stacy's father were also present, after his own research just as Kaine was, the Rogue would easily secure him and have him placed in protective custody. But if neither appeared there, the Rogue was not sure what could be done beyond that. He knew that, if neither Kaine nor Stacy's father arrived, it would be difficult to convince Stacy to change tactics, but Dontae's point would become valid. If there was no observable reason to be in this building, then Sabrina's badge could be obtained that much faster.

That's when the observable reason hit: the lights blinked, and the elevator stopped dead.

The only light in the cramped space came from the now-shuddering Charmander. Stacy gasped and whined slightly, grasping Dontae's arm. Dontae himself merely sighed and pressed the emergency assistance button, but nothing happened. Another aggravated sigh, and Dontae pushed it again. Nothing. Now growling, Dontae furiously punched at every button on the elevator panel, but nothing worked.

The Rogue's frustration was with Dontae's persistence, "Enough! It's obvious that we're stuck!"

Dontae widened his eyes with mock amazement, "Really?! Brilliant deduction! I guess that's why you're the PI and we're not!"

The Rogue was about to snap back, when suddenly, the loudspeaker in the corner of the elevator hummed, and a voice came on, "Ahem! Testing, one, two, three! Testing, one, two, three! We are Team Rocket, and we have taken over the building! Everyone remain calm, and do not attempt to leave the building! Our agents have spread throughout the building, watching your every move. Until further notice, all Silph employees and visitors are under the command of Team Rocket! All board members and chief scientists are to report to the Board Room on the twelfth floor immediately! Any resistance will be met with severe consequences! That is all!"

The Rogue could hardly believe what he was hearing. Team Rocket, again?! The detective didn't put it past Julius and Caesar to have escaped from prison once again, considering the amount of time between their bust in Celadon and the day he woke up in Lavender. However, he didn't consider it likely; security on the Rocket prisoners had been stepped up significantly to prevent another jailbreak. This meant that those two couldn't possibly be in on this newest atrocity.

But that didn't mean they were the only Team Rocket agents. And if their earlier information was correct, they were being led by someone just as dangerous as Giovanni.

Having to keep himself from shaking with fury, the Rogue pulled a PokéBall from his duster and summoned Charmeleon in a bright flash. "Charmeleon," he commanded the Flame Pokémon, "Use Metal Claw to pry these doors open."

Charmeleon saw the doors its Trainer gestured to, and nodded its compliance, "Char!" At once, its claws lengthened and gained a spectacular silver sheen that danced in the glow of the firelight. The reptilian creature proceeded to jam its metallic appendages into the crack of the elevator door and pull the door open, straining and struggling all the while.

"What are you doing?!" Stacy squealed, appalled at the detective's actions, "Charmeleon will completely destroy that door!"

"We have to get out, don't we?" the Rogue reasoned, "Team Rocket is at it again and we're stuck in a box. Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"I agree," Dontae added, then made a similar command to his Charmander, "Okay, buddy, help Charmeleon out with your Dragon Claw!"

Charmander was still shuddering from the darkness as it took one look at the Rogue's Fire-type and vigorously shook its head. 

Dontae sighed and put his hand on the fiery creature's shoulder, "I know, I know how you feel about all Charmeleon, but we're in a heap of trouble, and we need your help. Come on, old pal, do it for me?"

Charmander sighed, took one more glance at Charmeleon, and squealed to comply, "Char, char!" Charmander then did the same with its claws, lengthening them and instead coating them with bright blue fire. The smaller Pokémon took a position at Charmeleon's side and started pulling the door apart alongside it. With the added help, the door began to give, and both Fire-types soon made quick work of the barrier; both sides of the door were pushed roughly aside, and a hole was left behind.

Charmeleon stuck its fire-lit tail out of the broken door as the Rogue checked the shaft outside. By the light of the fire, the detective could see another door several feet up the wall, which as he could see, led to the second floor. The Rogue gestured for Golbat to take off, and the Bat Pokémon flapped out of the doorway and up the shaft. The soft thump was confirmation that it had landed on top of the elevator. Golbat stuck its foot over the doorway, the Rogue grabbed on, and was hauled out of the elevator and flung on top. He landed on his feet, but the elevator jiggled slightly beneath him, making it hard to keep steady.

The Rogue called down, "Stacy next!" Golbat allowed the Rogue to grab its foot, and the Rogue lowered his arm. He felt delicate fingers clasp his hand, and he pulled, helping Stacy up onto their level. She yelped slightly as she slipped and wavered backwards, but the Rogue caught her by the waist just as she moved, and his grip steadied her. Stacy blushed, straightened her blond hair and smoothed out the rumples in her skirt.

Golbat helped its partner repeat the same process with Dontae, and with Charmander on his back, the young Trainer was pulled up on top of the elevator. The Lizard Pokémon's arms tightly grasped Dontae's neck, its eyes were wide as saucers, and its teeth were bared and gritted. Dontae's face was slowly turning blue.

As soon as Golbat retrieved Charmeleon, the Rogue made another order, "Golbat, fly Charmander and Charmeleon up to that door so they can pry it open, too." Golbat and Charmeleon nodded, and the latter jumped onto the former's back, ready for flight.

Dontae gently pulled the petrified Charmander off his throat and struggled to breathe for a moment. He then held Charmander up to his eye level and gave it the same command, "Okay, little buddy. Second verse, same as the first."

Charmander began to settle down slightly and climbed up onto Golbat's back, where Charmeleon already rested. Before Golbat took off, Charmeleon gave its unevolved friend a consoling tap on the shoulder, and Charmander smiled up at it. Soon, Golbat was in the air, staying aloft just long enough for the two fire-breathers to jam their claws into the elevator door. Metal flashed, blue fire burned, and the duo pried the door open effortlessly, jumping through it to land comfortably on the second floor.

More comfortably, if not for the exceptionally large dent in the wall made from the other side with a resounding CRASH!

The Rogue urged his partner, "Golbat, get us up there!" Golbat nodded, the Rogue jumped onto the Bat Pokémon's back, and the two sprang upwards toward the door, with the detective landing nimbly on the inside of the door. He saw Charmander and Charmeleon dodging what appeared to be a very large rock rolling around on the floor, the obvious culprit to the large indentation in the wall. Across the floor, he saw a man dressed in full Rocket uniform, giving commands to the rock that kept rolling after the Fire-types.

The Rogue recognized the rock as a Graveler, Geodude's evolved form, and set his mind to strategizing, "Charmeleon, use Metal Claw!"

"Meleon!" Charmeleon grunted in agreement, and its silvery claws lengthened. Just as Graveler was about to strike again, Charmeleon's claws raked the rocky carapace, and Graveler veered off course, missing Charmeleon and running straight into the wall. The dent it left in the wall was the exact same size as the first, and was perfectly parallel to it.

Golbat had pulled Stacy and Dontae up onto the second floor by this time, and Dontae took command of his own Pokémon, "Charmander, give it a Dragon Claw!"

Charmander obeyed while Graveler was still woozy, and its scorching-blue claws scraped against Graveler's craggy hide. Graveler groaned and righted itself, revealing a stony face, stubby feet and four arms. It stumbled and swiveled as it stood, weak from the double attack.

"Uh . . ." the Rocket commanding the Graveler seemed unable to make a competent countermeasure, and thus simply stood at the other end of the area, surprise continuing to stifle him.

The Rogue looked at the grinning Dontae, and they both announced the exact same move at the same time:

"Flamethrower!"

Both fiery Pokémon inhaled, and each blew a scorching jet of fire at the Rock-type Pokémon. One Flamethrower alone would have proven ineffective, but with their combined powers, Charmander and Charmeleon's Fire-type attacks instantly subdued Graveler. The stony creature fell forward on its face, its landing THUMP making the whole room shake.

The Rocket grunt stared at his defeated Graveler, glanced between it and the two Trainers who'd bested him, then without a word, returned his Pokémon and ran screaming into a corridor behind him.

Dontae was apprehensive at this sudden departure, "Shouldn't we go after him?"

The Rogue slowly shook his head as he returned Charmeleon to its Ball, "Nah, he'll be alerting his superiors. If we are to vacate Team Rocket from the premises, we need to go up one floor at a time, so we'll be running into pretty much all of them eventually." He then reached into his duster pocket for his PokéCell, dialed a number, and spoke into the receiver, "RG-20 to Jenny, come in?"

There was a hint of static before the Officer Jenny of Saffron City's voice rang out clear from the mouthpiece, "Speaking, go ahead."

"Keep your squadron on high alert," the Rogue cautioned, "Rockets attempting to flee the Silph building, be ready to take into custody."

More static, then Jenny's answer, "Leave it to us, Detective."

The Rogue then closed the phone and gestured the group to move on, "We'd better hurry. I doubt Kaine is in the building now that the Rockets are occupying it, but if Stacy's father has come back, we'll need to move swiftly to get him out of the building."

"Assuming you leave this building alive . . ."

The loudspeaker came on again, but as different voice was speaking. This voice was cold, deadly, and frightening, quite unlike the ridiculously imperious voice that came on before. The Rogue, Dontae, and Stacy all looked around to make sure there was someone else on the floor; only someone on the floor with them could have known what the just said.

"Yes, detective," the cold voice spoke up again, "I can see your every move. I can hear your every word. I can predict your every action. My Rocket agents have this building on lockdown. You cannot escape."

The Rogue had a terrible feeling he knew who he was talking to, but needed confirmation in any case, "Who are you?! What is Team Rocket doing here?!"

The cold voice chuckled wickedly over the loudspeaker, "I am Team Rocket's lead administrator. I am acting under orders by Team Rocket's new boss, and he's ordered me to keep you in the dark, detective!"

The Rogue's eyes widened. Team Rocket _was_ under new management after all. The detective refused to be intimidated, "I don't know who you are or what you want, but I will find you! If I have to defeat and arrest every last Rocket agent in this building, I will do it!"

The loudspeaker voice chuckled, "I am a cut above the Rocket agents you've seen thus far, detective, so all I have to say is . . . good luck." The loudspeaker hummed, then muted entirely.

There was a short pause before Dontae broke the silence, "So they _do_ have a new boss! Do you think he's the one running things?"

The Rogue slowly shook his head, "If he was, he would have at least given us a clue to taunt us with. He didn't say anything because he doesn't know, and that's because his superior, whoever that may be, didn't tell him."

"Are you sure?" Stacy gently questioned, "What if he _is_ just toying with us? What if he's looking for Daddy? What if . . . what if they . . ." She didn't seem to want to continue, in case it occurred to her that Team Rocket may have indeed found her father.

It was difficult for the Rogue to say, but he knew it must be said, "I . . . I don't know. Battling Team Rocket hasn't been difficult up until now, because I didn't think they were capable of anything more than this. Right now, our best bet is to clear the building and make sure everyone is evacuated. There are twelve floors altogether, so it would seem in our best interests to split up."

"What?" Dontae answered with incredulity, "How do you propose we do that? Only two of us can battle and the elevator's shot! It would take hours to go floor by floor and clear the building!"

"We hardly have a choice," the Rogue replied, "We must either be quick or thorough. Despite the amount of time it will take, making sure every last Rocket agent is defeated will ensure protection of the building and the people inside. Since the elevator is broken, Golbat and I will fly up the elevator shaft, start from the eleventh floor and work our way down. Dontae, you start here and go up, and we'll meet halfway. Stacy will have to stay with you, so you must keep her safe at all times, is that clear?"

Dontae sighed and glanced at his Charmander. There was a look of fortitude in its wide, reptilian gaze, and it nodded, its tail-flame growing and burning brightly. Dontae looked back at the Rogue, nodding as well, "We got this."

"Good," the detective answered satisfactorily, "Move as quickly as you can to meet me, so we can stay as close to the twelfth floor as possible. According to the first Rocket on the loudspeaker, they are amassing all the Silph employees on the twelfth floor. Chances are that's where the Rocket admin is right now. We'll need to take him on together."

"Wait!" Stacy interrupted suddenly, "Detective, I know we've faced Team Rocket before, but my father might still be in the building. Please make sure he's all right. And please . . . . . please be careful." Her baby-blue eyes shone with concern as they usually did.

The Rogue found himself staring into her pretty blue eyes, and caught himself by replying, "It's okay. This may not be another Mt. Moon incident, but I know what to expect this time around." He then turned to his partner, "Let's go Golbat," and the duo quickly made their way back to the elevator shaft.

Dontae had things to consider, however, "Mt. Moon . . . . Mt. Moon . . . hey Rogue!" When the Rogue turned, Dontae made his spur-of-the-moment proposition, "You still got those evolution stones?"

The Rogue's eyebrow was raised inquiringly, but he nodded, "Of course. Why?"

Dontae smiled, "Toss me a Fire Stone, will ya?"

The Rogue's questioning look remained, until he remembered what Dontae seemed to remember, and he returned with a sly grin. Digging into his duster pocket, the Rogue fished out a Fire Stone from the bag, tossed it to Dontae, and the young Trainer caught it easily. The detective then hopped onto Golbat's back, and the Poison-type jumped through the heavily-damaged door, flapping madly to achieve lift and rushing up the empty shaft.

Back on the second floor, Dontae unclipped a PokéBall from his belt, enlarged it, and opened it. With a flash of white, his Eevee appeared, dancing and smiling and happy to be let out to stretch its legs.

Stacy announced her curiosity, "Dontae, are you gonna do what I think you're gonna do?"

Dontae merely grinned, held out the Fire Stone to Eevee, and gently tossed it. Eevee leaped up and caught it, performing a frontward somersault on the way down. As soon as Eevee's feet touched the floor, its whole body began to glow, and its form changed to the silhouette of its evolved form and back, the staple sight of evolution. The rapid change was a blur, and the flash of light burst into sparkles and melted away, revealing Dontae's ex-Eevee. It was slightly bigger than before, and its build was quite similar, but where its brown fur once was, a vivid coat of red took its place, and it sported a puffy yellow mane and tail, with a puffy yellow tuft on its head to match. Its body seemed to radiate intense heat as it screeched a battle cry, "Bu-Suta!"

Stacy marveled at this transformation, "Awesome! Your Eevee is a Flareon now! But didn't you say you wanted to keep your team even at half-Water and half-Fire? Why didn't you want Vaporeon?"

Dontae kept his shrewd grin, "No need, Stace, no need." He then reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a rocklike object, showing it to Stacy as if it were gold. It was a fossil. Specifically, it was a Helix Fossil: the same Helix Fossil given to him by the scientist at Mt. Moon.

After nearly half an hour of flapping, the Rogue and Golbat arrived at the door to the eleventh floor, one floor away from the top of the building. Without a platform for his Charmeleon, the Rogue instead had Golbat use Bite on the door. Golbat's mighty fangs sank into the metal, tearing away a large chunk of it and leaving a well-made entry hole behind. The Rogue jumped through it and tumbled into the room, with Golbat sailing in just behind him.

That's when the loudspeaker came on again, and the cold voice resumed, "You're here. Good . . ."

The Rogue was about to shout a reply into the air, but a sudden sound distracted him. Every door down the corridor opened, and from behind each door, half a dozen Team Rocket agents emerged. As usual, they all wore black shirts with the red letter 'R', black flat caps, and heavy gloves and boots; the men wore slacks, and the women wore miniskirts. They all marched single file into the corridor, standing shoulder-to-shoulder in front of the Rogue, so as to barricade him from the rest of the floor. When they were all present, thirty Rocket grunts stood at attention, each one taking out a PokéBall and enlarging it, ready for battle.

The Rogue and Golbat both sighed in aggravation. "Just another day at the office, huh, partner?" the detective joked. Golbat merely nodded.

The Rocket wall parted slightly, and from behind it stepped a Rocket agent unlike any the Rogue had yet seen. He had long, dark purple hair that was gelled and spiked all over, and his uniform was colored sequined silver, with the 'R' emblazoned in orange rather than red in front. The Rogue instinctively held back a laugh; this one looked rather comical, and fit the ridiculousness of Team Rocket quite well.

Until he spoke, "Your case ends here, detective. Our boss has made it clear that you must never leave this building." His voice was the same cold, intimidating voice that came on over the loudspeaker before. The Rogue scolded himself for allowing this agent's strange appearance to distract his better judgment.

"So you're running this operation, huh?" the Rogue droned, almost bored with this hackneyed confrontation maneuver, "Well, can you at least tell me what to call you?"

The strange-looking agent grinned wickedly, "My underlings call me 'Sir'. My superiors call me 'Agent 66'. You, however, may call me . . . Caligula."

The Rogue rolled his eyes, "Well, then I suppose I'll have to keep up the questioning. You've seen the girl I came in with, I know you have. If her father is here, I expect you to hand him over quietly. I'm not here to play games."

The Rocket agent known as Caligula merely barked out with laughter, "HAH! The man giving orders is also the man surrounded by thirty agents, each of them armed with a Pokémon, with no chance of escape! RIDICULOUS!" At once, the other agents began to follow suit with their own set of sycophantic laughter.

The Rogue rolled his eyes, "Why didn't I see that coming. Oh well, as long as you're not going to bomb the place or anything."

Agent 66 wore a smug grin, "Kaine is better suited for that job —"

The Rogue suddenly stopped dead, "Wait! You know Kaine?"

"What?" Caligula asked with a deathly whisper, "How do you know . . . How can that be, how . . . EERGH!" he growled in frustration, "It doesn't matter! Agents, apprehend him! Our mission is compromised!" At this, two Rocket agents stepped forward, each throwing a PokéBall and releasing a Pokémon into battle. One was a Machop, a short blue humanoid with bulging muscles that resembled a miniature version of Machoke. The other was a Paras, a small orange bug-like creature with large eyes and two mushrooms growing out of its back.

The Rogue turned and nodded to Golbat, and it swept into the fray, accompanied by the PANG of Charmeleon's PokéBall that signaled its own appearance. At the sight of each other, the two growled at one another instead of at their enemies.

"All right, enough!" the Rogue barked with finality, "This childish bickering between you two is all in the past! Set aside your petty differences and help me subdue these Rockets!"

Golbat and Charmeleon both glanced at their Trainer, staring for a while, then looked at each other and nodded. The battle began immediately, with Machop being knocked out instantly by Golbat's Wing Attack, and Paras literally coming under fire from Charmeleon's Flamethrower.

Dontae, Stacy, Charmander and Flareon raced up the stairs to the seventh floor. So far, only a few Rockets had been dealt with, and each one was forcibly removed from the building at Dontae's insistence. Flareon had proven its strength in battle with each Rocket they confronted, but Dontae had a mild concern for its over-enthusiasm in combat. If Flareon was given too much free reign during battle, it had a tendency to get carried away. Dontae made a mental note to keep an eye on Flareon's fiery attitude.

The seventh floor was empty, so Dontae and Stacy continued, the Pokémon following close behind. Suddenly, something occurred to Dontae, "Oh, no! There haven't been that many Rockets in this building so far, but that loudspeaker voice said he had the building on lockdown! I'll bet you anything they're all on the top floor, waiting for the Rogue to show up!"

Stacy gasped at this possibility, "Well, we have to keep moving! Who knows how many of those creeps are up there! He could be in danger!"

By now, they were on the eighth floor, but a pair of Rocket grunts stood in front of them, commanding them to stop and summoning their Pokémon to battle: a Growlithe and a Spearow, the latter of which was a small birdlike beast with red wings, orange head and tail feathers, and black plumage on its back.

Dontae grinned, nodded to his two Fire-types, and Charmander and Flareon took to the battlefield. Immediately, Flareon jumped in front of Charmander as Growlithe launched a Flamethrower attack, and the move glanced off of the Flame Pokémon's body, almost being absorbed by it.

Actually, it _was_ absorbed by it. Flareon's ability, Flash Fire, had negated the Fire-type move's effectiveness altogether.

That's when Dontae seized the chance, "Flareon, Ember!" Flareon obeyed, spraying enlarged tufts of flame at Spearow. The Ember was far bigger than it should have been, owing to Flash Fire's uncanny ability to use a negated Fire-type move's power as a battery for Flareon's own Fire-type moves. Spearow dropped from exhaustion, unable to counter.

But Flareon wasn't done. Without being commanded, it rushed in and enacted a Bite attack that made Growlithe whine and recoil in a Flinch. It then showered Growlithe with a Sand-Attack before quickly striking a recovering Spearow with Quick Attack. It used the same lightning-speed on Growlithe to finish it off right in a row. It glared at its two opponents, ready to land a fatal blow and barking fiercely, "Bu-Suta! Bu-Suta!"

Charmander, still deployed, did nothing but stare at the entire event, eyes saucer-wide and mouth agape, with a combination of bewilderment and indignity in its features.

The two Rocket agents, however, were more expressive; without a single word between them, they returned their Pokémon and ran for the stairwell. Their frightened foot-stomping could be heard the whole way down.

"Uhhh . . . . ." Dontae said awkwardly as his Flareon sauntered up to him, fluffy tail wagging triumphantly, " . . . well . . . good job, Flareon."

Jolteon was struck hard by a Tackle attack from Geodude, while the Double Teamed Pikachu narrowly missed a Karate Chop by a Mankey (a small, tan, furry primate with a porcine nose that resembled a smaller Primeape). Jolteon was growing much weaker, but the Rogue instantly found a clever strategy to amend the odds, "Pikachu, use Thunder on Jolteon!"

At first, Pikachu was surprised by such a command, but when it glanced at Jolteon's weakened state, it seemed only too pleased with the notion of finishing it off. "Pi . . ." it began, its cheeks emitting massive sparks as thunder from outside made the windows rattle, "Ka . . . . CHUUUUUUUUUUU!" The blistering lightning bolt sailed through the air and forcefully struck Jolteon.

It didn't feel a thing. In fact, Jolteon instantly gained all of its strength back, and barked out a refreshed cry, "San-Da!"

At this, Pikachu was dumbstruck; its teeth were gritted and its eyes were livid, "KA-CHUU!"

The Rogue rolled his eyes and ordered the next move, "Jolteon, Double Kick! Pikachu, Mega Punch!" Both Electric-types obeyed without question; Jolteon launched a donkey-style kick directly into Geodude's face, and the Rock-type flew across the room, crashing into a wall and fainting. Pikachu somersaulted and slammed its tiny fist onto Mankey's face, defeating the Pig Monkey Pokémon shortly after. All three Trainers returned their Pokémon, and the two Rocket agents were replaced by two more, both women, who deployed their Pokémon very quickly. One was a Doduo, which resembled a large brown ostrich with two heads, each sporting a long, thin beak. The other was a Weepinbell, the middle stage between Bellsprout and Victreebel, which resembled them both in the respect of being shaped like a yellow bell, having leaves, and sporting a small stem on its head.

The Rogue deployed his own duo, Beedrill and Sandslash, and the fast-paced survival battle continued. Beedrill started by launching a volley of pins at Weepinbell, while Sandslash curled into a ball and began to roll at high speed toward Doduo. The pins struck Weepinbell, while Sandslash's Rollout attack struck Doduo hard, knocking it back.

The female Rockets made their moves: "Weepinbell, Acid!"

"Doduo, Fury Attack!"

The two Pokémon obeyed; Weepinbell hawked up a sizzling corrosive substance at the fast-moving Sandslash, while Doduo's two heads jabbed their beaks at Beedrill. Sandslash kept rolling, despite the damage from the Acid, and Beedrill met the Fury Attack with a Twineedle.

That's when Sandslash came back around, striking Doduo with another Rollout move. This strike was stronger than the first, and the Twin Bird Pokémon fell, dazed and defeated. Weepinbell was now shaking off another Twineedle attack from Beedrill, but was now the target of another Rollout attack. The third pass was stronger still, and Weepinbell fell instantly.

The two lady agents complained as they returned their Pokémon, but were both interrupted and made to complain differently:

"Oooh! Hey!"

"Ouch!"

Sandslash had rolled around behind the two women and jabbed each one in the behind with its sharp claws. It screeched to a stop on the Rogue's side, unfurled to stand up straight, and smirked devilishly at both women before vanishing into its PokéBall in a flash of red light.

Scoffing at Sandslash's cheeky sense of humor, the Rogue returned Beedrill as well and rounded onto Caligula, a daring look in his eyes, "Well, Agent 66? Are any of your grunts going to put up a fight anytime today?"

Caligula flashed a look of sadistic ferocity, and he ordered two more agents to step forward. One sent a Meowth into battle, the other deployed a Cubone. The Rogue readied another Ball for combat, until . . .

BANG! The stairwell door burst open, and Dontae's Charmander and Wartortle leaped out. Charmander's Flamethrower engulfed Meowth, while Wartortle launched a Water Pulse at Cubone. Both Pokémon collapsed instantly, and were returned promptly to their Balls.

Dontae followed his battlers through the door, and Stacy stood safely in the doorway. Dontae's usual manic humor shone as he pressed the assault, "Honey, I'm hooooooooome!"

The Rogue grinned as Dontae's Pokémon continued to wipe the floor with more Rocket agents, then turned his attention to Caligula. "Now it's your move, Agent 66," the Rogue announced, taking up his PokéBall and readying for battle.

Caligula's vicious smile returned, "Exactly what I've been waiting for . . .", and he revealed his own PokéBall, "Kingler, deploy!"

His appearing Pokémon, Kingler by name, resembled an enormous crab, orange on top and white on the bottom. It had large spikes growing from its head resembling a crown, and its left pincer was grossly oversized, far larger than its right. It slammed its immense claw on the floor and hissed at the detective, "Kih-kih-kih-kiiiiih!"

The Rogue replaced his PokéBall, and gave a two-fingered whistle. As always, Golbat swept in from out of nowhere, its wings unfurled and its eyes steady and determined.

Caligula made the first move, "Now, fool, use Metal Claw!"

The Rogue responded, "Wing Attack!"

Kingler charged sideways at Golbat, its larger pincer gaining a silvery metal coating. Golbat flew into the fray, aiming its wing at its enemy. Both attacks struck, and both combatants groaned in pain, still ready for more.

Caligula followed up quickly, "Stomp, you Red Lobster reject, Stomp!"

The Rogue countered, "Bite!"

Kingler leaped up to slam its four legs onto Golbat. The Bat Pokémon flew low, turned to face the down-coming Kingler, and just as the Stomp attack connected, Golbat's vice-like jaws clenched. Both Pokémon sustained massive damage, but continued the brawl.

Caligula made another command, "Shell-brained water-pest! Make up for it with ViceGrip!"

The Rogue countered again, this time with, "Air Cutter!"

Golbat swung its wings and projected a fierce volley of blade-shaped winds at Kingler, just as the Pincer Pokémon jumped again at Golbat, this time to grab the Poison-type with its enormous claw. The air-blade volley hit with a harsh Critical strike, but Kingler's ViceGrip clenched over Golbat's right wing, causing equally Critical damage.

Both combatants were exhausted, but the Rocket agents' numbers were dwindling, and Caligula seemed to know it. To make matters worse for Agent 66, it seemed that Dontae and Stacy had been followed by the Saffron Police Department, and Rocket agents left and right were being arrested after their defeat at the hands of Dontae's Pokémon.

Caligula seized his chance while the Rogue was distracted, "Kingler, end this now! Guillotine, you idiot, Guillotine!"

At once, Kingler's massive pincer began to glow, seeming to radiate unbridled power. It leaped at Golbat, screeching a victory cry, "KIH-KIH-KIH-KIH-KIIIIIIHHHHHHH!"

The Rogue knew what this meant, and shuddered; Guillotine was a rare one-hit knockout move. One touch of that claw, and it would be over.

"Now, Golbat, Air Cutter!" the Rogue quickly countered, hoping it wouldn't be too late. Golbat obeyed, flapping its wings and sending another series of deadly air-blades at Kingler. The giant crab was struck hard, taken by surprise as the attack continued to fly through the air.

It just barely missed. Golbat dodged the deadly Guillotine, and Kingler landed face-first on the floor.

Caligula was surprised, as well, "WHAT?! No, you foolish crustacean, fight!"

"Too late, 66!" the Rogue called out with finality, "Golbat, Wing Attack!"

Golbat swooped down and landed a devastating finisher, sweeping Kingler with its wings and knocking it backwards into the wall. It sank, twitched, and moaned in defeat, "Kihhhhhhhhhh . . . ."

The Rogue watched Caligula return his Kingler and glare back defiantly. "I refuse to let you get away with this, detective," the Rocket admin growled, "I will find you, and I will make sure the boss has something particularly menacing waiting for you."

The Rogue simply glared back, not letting intimidation slow him down, "I think you'd better be worried about the menacing things the cops will do to you if you don't tell us who you're working for. And how do you know Kaine?"

Agent 66 merely grinned his disturbing, sadistic grin, "You're the detective. You tell me."

All the Rocket agents, including Agent 66, were apprehended and taken into custody by the Saffron City PD's Officer Jenny. The Rogue, Stacy and Dontae were outside the Silph building, helping the police and signing paperwork left and right. All the Silph workers were treated and released, but much to Stacy's despair, none of them were related to her.

The workers did, however, leave behind a clue to Stacy's father's welfare. Before they had been evacuated, they had given her a note handwritten by him, adding that they had been instructed to give it to Stacy herself:

_To my sweet daughter,_

_By now, I'm sure you've tried to find me at the Silph building in Saffron City. I must implore you, do not try to find me just yet. Kaine is still attempting to locate me, and one wrong move will doom us both. Wherever you go, make sure you stay safe; Kaine is dangerous, and I don't want to see you get hurt._

_Don't worry, my dear Stacy. We'll be together again soon._

_Kind and honest regards,_

_Daddy_

"Okay, so Daddy never came back to the Silph building," Stacy muttered worriedly, "That means he's still out there. And we have to find him before Kaine does."

This reminded the Rogue of what Caligula had said before their battle. He seemed to let it slip that he knew Kaine somehow. This didn't make any sense; how could Kaine be related to Team Rocket? Did Kaine know who their new boss was? Are they working together? Does this new boss have something to do with Stacy's father, or the pending attack on the Indigo Plateau?

Dontae had other questions in mind, "Hello, baby! What's your number?"

The Rogue and Stacy turned and saw the person Dontae addressed. It was a young woman with long, dark blue hair and a stoic expression in her reddish eyes. She wore a lavender, spaghetti-strap top, tight white jeans, and two thick, gray wrist braces. She had a mysterious, perhaps even occult-like, air about her. She addressed the Rogue formally as she gracefully sauntered up to them, "I congratulate you on your collar, detective. Team Rocket is a scourge to this city, and I am quite satisfied to see them go. And nice to see you've evolved, Golbat."

As Golbat chittered happily and the Rogue merely grinned roughly, only Stacy answered audibly, "You know her, detective?"

The detective cleared his throat, trying not to let any emotion show, "Uh, Stacy, Dontae, this is Sabrina, Saffron City's Gym Leader and resident 'psychic'." He emphasized the last word with quotation fingers.

Sabrina grinned and sighed pityingly, "Mmmm . . . I see the Sight still hasn't touched you. You might need it if you still intend to face me in battle for my badge."

Dontae's eyes widened, and Stacy released a slight gasp, "How . . . . how did you know?"

Sabrina's grin remained as she continued, "You are here for that reason, aren't you? In fact, wasn't it speculated that you intend to . . . how did you put it, Dontae? Oh yes," she used quotation fingers as well, "'spank me'?"

Stacy's and Dontae's eyes were lined with bewilderment, but only Dontae's face accentuated the look with the bright redness of a blush.


	18. 18 - Mind over Chatter

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#18: Mind over Chatter

Sabrina had already impressed Dontae and Stacy with her prowess. After Team Rocket had been escorted out of the Silph building, the group had been approached by her from out of the blue. Stacy marveled at Sabrina's apparent talent, and for the first time since the Rogue had known him, Dontae had nothing to say.

The Rogue, however, was unimpressed, "Still trying to pass off logic and deductive reasoning as occult power, are we, my dear? You ought to know by now that anyone can pass themselves off as psychic by doing that."

Sabrina's condescending grin was unmoving, "And you ought to know by now that just because you don't understand something, doesn't mean you should laugh it off as nonsense. We all have the Sight, Rogue, and only a few of us ever truly discover it."

There was a lengthy, awkward pause, before Dontae at last spoke, "Sooooo . . . . . you two have a history?"

The Rogue scoffed, "If you want to call it that. I was on a case a couple years ago, after a Silph worker ran off with highly valuable stolen property. Zubat and I were on his trail, mapping out all possible hideout locations, until . . ."

Sabrina grinned once again and finished for him, "Until I showed him up. My psychic powers showed me a vision of the thief escaping to the roof of the Silph building rather than outside. They found the man exactly as I said they would: under a piece of tarp, waiting with the stolen machine parts and a rappelling cable so he could escape by nightfall."

Dontae and Stacy glanced at each other, impressed further by Sabrina's abilities. The Rogue, however, scowled and corrected her, "There was no psychic power necessary. Sabrina saw before I did a pair of footprint sets, each going to one elevator. We followed the one that went down at the time, so we didn't notice it until I lifted prints from the buttons of both doors. He hid in the one that went up to the roof and sent the other one down to throw us off." The detective then turned a surly eye toward Sabrina, "You simply noticed the footprints before I did, and passed it off as some silly parlor trick."

Sabrina's condescending grin remained, but her response was toward Dontae and Stacy, "He hasn't forgiven me since then."

"It was just one case, my dear," the detective responded irritably, "What I don't like is that you continue to fool the people of Saffron with your smoke and mirrors."

Sabrina closed her eyes and shook her head, her smile remaining, "My dear detective, I have a feeling if you understood the power of the Sight, you wouldn't be so quick to judge. But enough of that," she walked toward him, scrutinizing his features with her mysterious stare, "Let's have that battle now. That is, if you're prepared."

The Rogue refused to be put off by Sabrina's searching look, "I'll need to heal my team before anything else. I'll meet you at the Gym in fifteen minutes."

Sabrina nodded, "Excellent. You'd best be prepared by then, Detective. My abilities as a Trainer are fearsome, even without my powers." She then walked smoothly past him, playfully tapping his side gently with her hip as she walked.

The Rogue scowled, and it only got worse when his Golbat nudged him with its wing, grinning a devious grin with its massive mouth.

"I know what you're thinking," the detective replied sourly, "I'm not about to defend myself. My feelings are in control. She's just another opponent, that's all."

This was just before he turned toward Dontae and Stacy to call them over; he saw Dontae staring at Sabrina as she walked away, his line of sight quite low. He jumped quite suddenly when she replied, without turning around, from a great distance away, "It's impolite to stare, Dontae!"

Scoffing again at the display, the Rogue sauntered up, reached over, and grabbed the back of Dontae's collar, dragging him into a path toward the Pokémon Center. Charmander complained on the way, with Golbat trying to calm it down. Stacy brought up the rear, her excitement readily evident, "That was amazing! She is incredible! How does she do that?"

All of the Pokémon in the Rogue and Dontae's teams were healed, and all three were now walking up to the façade of the Saffron City Pokémon Gym. The Rogue's bike rested in a garage at the edge of town, and the Rogue debated whether he could defeat Sabrina and leave before nightfall. Thus far, each attempt to plan this way had been an utter failure.

All six of the Rogue's Pokémon were deployed and ready for battle. It was up to their Trainer who would participate in this battle. The Rogue had to stifle his irritation with Golbat and Charmeleon; they had been elbowing each other out of the way in order to walk ahead of the rest of the group.

The group stopped in front of the Gym, and the Rogue's Pokémon all gathered around him. "Okay, gentlemen," he addressed them, "Here is the destination of our fifth Badge. Psychic-type Pokémon are tricky devils, so I'll need something equally tricky to fight them." He looked over at Sandslash, decided that its powerful moveset would be offset by its slow speed, and returned it to its Ball in a flash of red light. Golbat had already agreed that it would be a bad idea for it to battle; Poison-types like Golbat were susceptible to Psychic power. This left Beedrill (which, despite being a Poison-type as well, had speed and maneuverability, and the anti-Psychic-type moves Twineedle and Pursuit), Charmeleon (who had served the Rogue well in three Gym battles thus far), and Jolteon (which had great strength and precision, despite being new to the team).

There was also Pikachu, who was glaring angrily at Jolteon the entire time.

The Rogue noticed, and called it out, "Pikachu, what's your problem now?"

Pikachu merely folded its stubby arms defiantly, pouted, and grunted, "Pika-Pika!" It then pointed to Jolteon accusingly, while the Lightning Pokémon merely sat there, a look of indignant confusion on its foxlike features.

Dontae glanced between the two Electric-types, then snapped his fingers, "I think I've got it! Pikachu is jealous! Now that there's another Electric-type Pokémon on your team, Rogue, Pikachu believes that you intend to pay more attention to it and not to Pikachu."

Charmander took that as its cue, and stepped up to Pikachu, wagging its tail and talking animatedly in Char-Speak, "Char, char. Charman-char! Mander!"

Pikachu remained pouty, but responded, "Pika!"

"Char-char-char, charmander! Char!"

"Pika-pika! Pika-pika, pi, chu-chu! Pikachu!"

Charmander turned back toward Dontae and nodded, confirming Dontae's theory. It seemed that Pikachu was indeed jealous of the Rogue's Jolteon.

"Of course," Dontae continued, a sly grin on his face, "that could be because Pikachu has the hots for you. You have noticed that she's female, haven't you?"

Stacy gave a bewildered gasp, "Really?" She turned and addressed Pikachu, "Are you a little girl? I had no idea!"

Pikachu was still sulking, and answered roughly, "Chu!"

"Yep," Dontae said simply, pointing to the tip of Pikachu's tail. A male Pikachu's tail would have a sharp corner on the end; the edge of this lightning-shaped appendage was softly rounded and indented in the middle, the identifying trait of female Pikachu.

The Rogue sighed and cradled his forehead between a thumb and forefinger. "Why do I have to have the weird ones?" he muttered to himself. He then took out Charmeleon's Ball and returned it, the Fire-type showing a look of resentment just before it disappeared.

He then turned to Pikachu and Jolteon, "Okay, if I use one of you two and not the other, I know you'll make things difficult for me in future. So, both of you will be helping me against Sabrina. This is _not_ a contest. This is _not_ a test to see who is better or who will be kicked off the team. You want equal attention, so I'm giving it to you, that's all. Are we clear?"

Jolteon nodded and barked in agreement, "San-Da!" Pikachu was still pouty-faced, but nodded as well. With that, both Electric-type Pokémon disappeared in a flash of red back into their respective PokéBalls. The Rogue was relieved; this was not the time for any more distractions. He had been inhibited by other pressing matters in all his Gym battles, were it beforehand (with Misty and Surge), afterwards (with Brock), and even during (with Erika). His determination—and, admittedly, his paranoia toward fate's tendency to conspire against him—had only grown, and the detective was dead-set on making sure it no longer had a reason to. His strengthened resolve materialized as a stoic gaze at the façade of the Gym building.

Then, quickly and unwillingly, at a close-up view of a sheet of paper.

The Rogue angrily pulled the leaflet off his face after the wind had carried it to meet him. He held it in his hand and glanced at it, then turned his attention quickly to another sound; the door of the building next-door opening and a man in a business suit standing in the doorway, carrying a stack of slowly-falling papers and barking at whoever was still inside with an urged, yet hushed voice:

"Not now! I have the contracts all written up, but I need to copy them for the city council's records . . . I said not now! Give me ten minutes to get back to the council building and make copies, then we'll make business . . . shush! Just wait here . . . damn it, I'm dropping these!"

The Rogue recognized the rushed businessman; it was Milton Rich, a business tycoon who was known for eccentric purchases of land, property and buildings. He was usually seen at gala events and high-society parties (the Rogue was unsure why he had not been on the S.S. Anne before the attempted robbery), and as such, he always had a look of composure, with a subtle hint of arrogance. Thus, it was strange to see him so frazzled and secretive.

Not to mention distressing to know, or even speculate, what this particular dealing was all about.

On his way out, Mr. Rich hunted for the papers he had dropped, and his gaze stuck on the Rogue when he first glanced at him. Rushing toward the detective without even introducing himself, he snatched the paper out of the Rogue's hand.

The Rogue cocked an eyebrow at Mr. Rich's bluntness. "I take it that belongs to you?" he quipped curtly.

"What did you see?" Mr. Rich blurted contentiously, "These documents are classified! What did you read?"

The Rogue was now taken aback by Mr. Rich's nervous brazenness, but fully understood why. "I saw nothing," he lied, covering it well, "what seems to be the problem, sir?"

Mr. Rich seemed to calm down as he placed the fallen paper back into his stack. "Nothing . . ." he muttered warily, "Nothing . . . good day, detective." And he traipsed away precariously, seeming to be on the lookout for any more witnesses.

"Well," Dontae stated out of the blue, "that was weird. But at least it wasn't another interruption."

The Rogue gave his usual frustrated sigh, "Yes, it was. That page I saw was part of a partnership contract. Mr. Rich just came out of the Fighting Dojo, the former Gym in this town. Apparently, Mr. Rich wants to co-own it and elevate it to Gym status again."

"So?" Dontae asked expectantly, "What's the problem?"

"Apparently, the Dojo leader never saw the loophole," the Rogue recalled, "it was on the page that hit me. It states that, if another Gym Leader should challenge their new status after the signing of the contract, the partnership is void and the leader must step down. It doesn't say anything about whether the challenging Gym Leader must be old or new, so this means that Sabrina can challenge this new Gym whenever she wants. And if she does, Mr. Rich gets full control over the Dojo."

Stacy's eyes were wide with surprise, "But . . . how did you know all that? You only saw that paper up close for three seconds. How did you remember all that?"

The Rogue looked into Stacy's confused eyes, "I'm a detective. Remembering is part of what I do for a living." He then dug around the pockets of his duster and pulled out a tiny mechanical object. He then walked quickly toward the door of the Dojo, pressed the tiny object firmly against the roof of the doorframe, and quickly stepped back toward the Saffron Gym, pulling out another object from his duster: a small set of earphones.

Stacy was the first to inquire, "What was that you just put on the door?"

The Rogue extended the earphones and placed them onto Golbat's head as he explained, "It's a bug. That loophole in the contract won't be a secret forever, and if we can listen to Rich point out the details of it, we can nail him for this crooked deal. We'd better hurry," he said urgently as he quickly made his way to the door, "If I can beat Sabrina before he comes back, we can listen to his shady deal and bust him. Let's move."

The inside of the Gym was not as large as one expected; it was one simple room with simple lavender-colored walls and deep-blue-tile floors. The room seemed designed to be an arena for battle, but the Rogue wasn't sure why; Sabrina was another Gym Leader that tested her opponent's mental faculties before battling them. She usually did this with sets of teleportation panels, a wonder of science that was rare even for the most advanced of Pokémon Gyms. There were four for each room of the complex compound (sans the lobby, in which there was one), and stepping on one panel would warp the Trainer onto a panel of the next room. It was the Trainer's task to find the pattern and figure out which panel led to Sabrina's room.

The Gym Leader herself stood on the opposite side of the room, answering the unasked questions, "I know what a rush you're in, so I disabled the warp panels in order to cut down on time restraints. Besides," she added with a coy grin, "you would've solved the puzzle anyway."

"Okay," Dontae groaned, now annoyed by the displays, "This whole Nostradamus bit is getting old now!"

Stacy held her amazement, "Incredible! How did you know—"

"I've been to this Gym before," the Rogue interrupted, finally realizing the reason, "before that case at Silph a few years back. I solved the puzzle within the space of an hour. She knew I'd spend less time on it now, but knows how impatient I can get on an important case. Once again," he eyed Sabrina with a skeptical leer, "No psychic powers necessary."

Sabrina chuckled as she stepped forward, "If you insist, Rogue. The Sight hardly touches those with such closed minds." She then produced a PokéBall, seemingly from out of nowhere, "But if you did have it," she mused as the Ball suddenly lifted itself into the air, inexplicably hovering mere inches from her outstretched hands, "You would be even more powerful than me."

"Enough, my dear," the Rogue curtly ordered, "Your tricks don't frighten me. I need your Badge, and you need to accept my challenge. Let's get on with it."

"Ooh, so impatient," Sabrina teased quietly, "Suit yourself. I dislike battling, but if you wish, I will show you my powers!" The PokéBall still floating in midair in front of her spontaneously enlarged itself, then opened itself. In a flash of light, a small, fox-like Pokémon appeared, sitting on the Gym floor and, apparently, sleeping. It was light-brown and had a long tail, but did not seem interested in obeying its Trainer's orders. This was an Abra, the progenitor of the Kadabra-Alakazam evolution family.

Unfazed by Abra's deceptively calm appearance, the Rogue produced a Ball from his duster and quickly summoned his first Pokémon, Pikachu. She turned around and eyed him with her adorable yellow face, "Pika!"

"Focus, little one!" the Rogue commanded, "that Abra may look restful, but remember, Psychic-types are tricky! Give it everything you've got!"

Pikachu was surprised for a moment, then pensive, as if making an important decision. Pikachu then suddenly raced toward the Rogue and jumped, grabbing onto the front of his duster and holding on for dear life.

"What?" the Rogue was baffled, "Pikachu, what are you doing? Stop this nonsense and start the battle!"

Sabrina grinned as the Rogue struggled to pull Pikachu off, "As adorable as this scene is, Rogue, I'm afraid your Pikachu may not have what it takes to defeat me."

"Aww!" Stacy called out worriedly, "Pikachu's too afraid to battle! You gotta start with something else!"

Dontae shook his head, "That doesn't make any sense. I've seen Pikachu take on enemies way bigger and stronger than that. Whatever's going on there, it's not fear."

The Rogue soon found that Dontae was right. He felt Pikachu's tiny paw digging around the inner pocket of his duster, as if she were feeling around for something. Pikachu wasn't looking for comfort, but she was looking for something. The Rogue finally saw what it was when he plucked Pikachu gently off his front and set her down at last—she was holding a Thunderstone.

Before another word could be spoken, Pikachu began to glow. Like Jolteon had before when it seized a Thunderstone, Pikachu's form changed rapidly from its evolution and back. The glow exploded in a burst of sparkles, and where Pikachu once stood, a Raichu now took its place. Like Lieutenant Surge's Raichu, she was orange rather than Pikachu's yellow, her red cheeks had turned yellow, and her tail lengthened and took the shape of a thin cord, with a small, slightly blunted lightning-bolt-shaped attachment on it. She twitched her curled ears and crossed her stubby arms triumphantly. "Hmmph! Rai-Chu!" she squeaked, in a tone that seemed to echo the human phrase, "So there!"

Dontae and Stacy were aghast at this unexpected development. Even the Rogue was shocked; he had remembered discovering Pikachu's jealousy of Jolteon, but he never would have predicted the lengths the Mouse Pokémon would go to take more attention for herself.

Sabrina's look of surprise was the least obvious, "Well, this is a pleasant turn of events. I knew I sensed turmoil in that little creature's mind, and I figured it would have high ambitions. I should be ashamed of myself for being fooled by its charming appearance."

The Rogue shook off his surprise and addressed his new Raichu, "All right, little one, if you really think you can do this, I trust you. Start us off with a Slam!"

"Chu!" Raichu obeyed, and raced across the field, performing a surprisingly high jump and a masterful somersault, whipping her tail through the air and bringing it down on Abra's head.

Minutes before the move was executed, Sabrina made her counter, "Reflect." Soundlessly, motionlessly, Abra conjured a thin, reflective screen of bronze light around it just before Raichu's tail struck it. The attack hit, but it struck the thin screen before anything else, and the move seemed to make no difference—Abra didn't even bat an eye.

Dontae supplied the explanation, "No! Now all of Sabrina's Pokémon will be better protected from physical moves!"

The Rogue knew what this meant, and defaulted to another strategy, "Use Thunder!"

Raichu stared daggers at Abra as her cheeks and tail sizzled with power. "Raaaaaaaaiiiiiiii . . ." she chanted, similarly to the way she did as a Pikachu, while a massive thunder crash sounded off outside, far louder than ever before, "CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" The blistering bolt of lightning shot from Raichu's body, far more powerful than Pikachu's Thunder had ever been.

Sabrina made her counter measure again, "Light Screen." Like before, with Reflect, a thin shield of light, this one colored pink, spread out around Abra and shielded it from damage. The attack struck, but the damage was not nearly as potent. Abra still rested quietly, as if the world around it didn't even exist.

Stacy understood what happened this time, "And now Light Screen will protect Sabrina's Pokémon too, right?"

Dontae nodded morosely, "Yes, from special attacks. Now none of the Rogue's damaging moves will have enough strength to fight them off."

The Rogue was concerned, true enough, but another concern arose from out of the blue. Golbat suddenly began jumping up and down and chattering, flapping its large wings and kicking up a breeze. It seemed to be gesturing toward the device it was wearing, indicating that it had picked up some chatter on the Rogue's bug.

The Rogue's heart raced, "Quick, hand it over!" Golbat swooped over and allowed the Rogue to take off the headset, and the detective placed the device on his own head. At once, he heard a voice speaking from the earpiece, which he instantly recognized as Mr. Rich's.

" . . . have the documents recorded, all you need to do is sign this last one. It legalizes our joint ownership of the Gym, and grants you your Gym Leader status back."

The next voice was gruff and unfamiliar, but judging from the context, the Rogue identified it as belonging to the Dojo's Karate Master, Kiyo, "So, this will make me a Gym Leader again? What about Sabrina? Everyone knows their Psychic-Type Pokémon would flatten our Fighting-Types."

Mr. Rich's voice was passive, with that same tinge of arrogance the Rogue was familiar with, "Don't worry about her. Once our partnership is legalized, we will be able to expand this Gym until it is far larger than Sabrina's. That will shift challengers away from her and towards you, and she will have no choice but to resign!"

Kiyo's voice sounded hopeful, "I do want to be a Gym Leader again. But won't we need to change our Pokémon specialty? And we'll also need a Badge design."

The Rogue thought he heard Mr. Rich audibly scowl, but his words were as passive as ever, "Well, we can hold a meeting with your students and my representatives. But I did have a few artists work on some Badge designs. If you like, I can run to my office and grab them."

Kiyo's gruff voice almost sounded like that of an excited child, "I'd very much like to see them, Mr. Rich."

The Rogue could tell Mr. Rich was holding back a groan, "All right then. I'll be right back. Read over that while I'm gone, and if you have any questions, feel free to ask." With that, the Rogue could hear the sound of an opening and closing door; Mr. Rich had left. The Rogue had to admit, Mr. Rich's business jargon was dazzling and alluring, but this meant that Kiyo would only be fooled more easily, which also meant there wasn't much time to finish this battle.

"Excuse me?" Sabrina insisted, grabbing the Rogue's attention, "I do believe we're in the middle of a battle. Is this case so important that you're willing to risk losing focus against me?"

The Rogue scowled, "You're the psychic, you tell me. Raichu, Mega Punch!" Raichu, having been standing still and staring at the Rogue indignantly while he listened to the bug's chatter, obeyed quickly, her white-hot energy-filled fist poised to strike—

Nothing.

"Abra, return," Sabrina had ordered, and Abra vanished in a flash of red laser light. Raichu's fist came down on the ground, her efforts for naught. Raichu glanced around, looking for its opponent, then looked back at the Rogue, her beady eyes widening and searching for sympathy.

Sabrina readied a new Ball after putting away Abra's, manipulating it the same way she had before—handlessly. By itself, it enlarged and opened with a PANG, and in a flash of light, Abra's evolved form, Kadabra, stood proudly on the field, spinning its single silver spoon like a baton.

The Rogue recognized this Pokémon, having battled the Kadabra belonging to Julius of Team Rocket twice before. Wanting to maintain his offensive, the Rogue began immediately, "Move in, and use Mega Punch!"

"Chu! Raichu-Raichu!" Raichu acknowledged, and repeated her attack, her tiny fist glowing with white energy and aimed right at Kadabra.

Sabrina resumed her defensive strategy, "Kinesis." At this, Kadabra pointed its spoon at the incoming Electric-Type, and began muttering to itself. Whatever the creature was doing, the force of this attack seemed to be strong enough to bend the spoon almost in half. Suddenly, Raichu began to squeal and hold her head in agony; the aim of her move compromised.

Dontae supplied the explanation, "Oh, no! Kinesis reduces accuracy! Now Raichu won't even get a chance to _hit_ Kadabra, much less _damage_ it!"

Stacy gasped, figuring out Sabrina's strategy as Dontae had, "That explains it! She's trying to make sure her team takes as little damage as possible! That way, her team can attack as much as possible and not expect a counterattack!"

"Calm Mind," Sabrina's calm commands continued, and Kadabra sat and began to meditate. Its spoon levitated in front of it as a bright pink light began to cover the Psi Pokémon's skin from head to foot.

The Rogue was sweating now. Both special attack and special defense went up with the use of the Calm Mind technique. "Raichu, Slam it!" he quickly countered.

"Psybeam," Sabrina responded, and both Pokémon began the attack. Raichu charged, performing another masterful aerial leap and swinging her long tail at Kadabra. The Psychic-type's eyes began to glow, and a multicolored beam of light shot from them. Raichu's Slamming tail sliced through the beam and struck Kadabra, but there was no damage to be seen. Raichu, on the other hand, felt the force of the strike she had charged through, and was blasted back, landing on the Rogue's side of the battlefield again. She wavered around as she stood, moaning with a low, stupefied tone, her eyes spinning in her head.

"Grrr!" the detective growled, "Confused!" The Rogue then quickly took out Raichu's Ball and returned her, quickly switching to his next Pokémon. With a flash and a PANG, Jolteon took to the field, its spiky fur sharp as a razor, an intention to intimidate its Psychic foe.

That's when the bronze screen of light reappeared, but just long enough to break apart and dissolve. Reflect had worn off. The Rogue made his next move quickly, seizing the opportunity, "Pin Missile!"

"San-Da!" Jolteon barked and flexed itself all over; the spikes all over its fur suddenly flew from its body and, similarly to Beedrill's use of the move, the pins showered Kadabra with brutal force. With the protection of Reflect finally worn off, Kadabra took the full damage of three deadly pins.

The Rogue was able to break down Sabrina's strategy by this time, and had predicted her next move seconds before she made it. Suddenly, Kadabra returned to its PokéBall, and Abra returned in a flash of light.

As Sabrina ordered Abra to set up another Reflect, the Rogue quickly returned Jolteon to its own Ball, switching quickly to another Pokémon. In a flash, Beedrill took to the field, buzzing angrily and jabbing the air as it always had before.

Just as the Rogue predicted, Sabrina had ordered Abra to set up another Light Screen, which had also dissolved away. The Rogue pressed his advantage, "Beedrill, Twineedle!" Beedrill gave a hungry buzz and swooped down, striking Abra harshly, once with each stinger.

Sabrina's next move was a surprise, "Hidden Power." Abra still sat still, motionlessly conjuring white orbs of light that surrounded and rotated around it. After a few seconds, the orbs zoomed across the field, striking Beedrill harshly. The Rogue noticed that the orbs had turned fiery red moments before they struck Beedrill.

Dontae and Stacy caught this too, and Dontae explained, "Hidden Power. It changes types depending on the Pokémon using it, and that one looks like a Fire-type move. Sabrina must've known the Rogue would press an advantage with a Bug-type."

Stacy, rather than being worried for the Rogue, was astounded once again, "She's amazing! I have to learn how to do that!"

The Rogue had a few surprises, as well, "Beedrill, use Brick Break!" Beedrill shook off the damage from the fiery move and raced across the field. Rather than use its stinger to jab, it slammed the broad side against Abra. The damage was not evident, but the effects of the move were obvious; one of the barriers conjured by Abra, the pink Light Screen, reappeared long enough to shatter to pieces and disappear.

Sabrina grinned at this maneuver, "Impressive. Brick Break specifically destroys Light Screen and Reflect. Did you teach Beedrill that move whilst resting in Lavender Town?"

The Rogue scowled and repeated his command, "Brick Break again!" Beedrill repeated its assault, slamming its stinger on Abra's head. It took hardly any damage, but the remaining Reflect barrier did, breaking to pieces and dissolving.

Sabrina made her next move, just as the Rogue hoped, and raise Abra's Ball to return it. His instincts driving him, the detective was a split-second quicker, "Pursuit!" Beedrill responded by covering itself with the same dark aura it had when battling Erika's Tangela. In the blink of an eye, Beedrill swiftly struck Abra harshly just as the PokéBall beam struck it. It took honest-to-goodness damage this time, but still showed slight signs of life as it vanished in a wave of red light.

"Hmm," Sabrina contemplated, "Ingenious, detective. You are performing well above my expectations." She slyly smiled, "But this doesn't mean I will let you win," and she telekinetically lifted a third Ball, enlarging and opening it without moving. In a flash, her third Pokémon appeared, standing tall and staunch, waving two silver spoons mysteriously and grunting proudly, "Alakazam!"

The Rogue had seen his father's Alakazam mere days before, and knew not to be intimidated, "Beedrill, Twineedle!" The Bug-type obeyed again, rushing the field and aiming its stingers at . . .

"Double Team." A copy of Alakazam. Just like the Rogue's Raichu (as a Pikachu), Alakazam raced back and forth at law-defying speed, so that the illusion of two Alakazam was created. Beedrill's Twineedle had stuck the wrong target.

"Kinesis," Sabrina followed up, and Alakazam aimed its spoons at Beedrill, the force of its unseen power making them bend. Beedrill buzzed angrily and held its head between its stingers, looking as though it were in pain.

The Rogue quickly made another move, "Hurry, use Twineedle again!" Beedrill obeyed, but with the stress of its psionic-induced headache and the chance of hitting the wrong target, Beedrill's aim was completely shot, and Twineedle just barely missed the real Alakazam.

That's when Sabrina grinned once more before her last command to her Pokémon, "Future Sight."

Alakazam's eyes suddenly glowed white, so intensely that it was almost blinding. Nothing happened yet, but the Rogue knew it would, eventually. That's how Future Sight worked.

Seeing Sabrina lift her PokéBall again, the Rogue rushed to move, "Beedrill, Pursuit!" Beedrill coated itself and rushed the field, courageously striking the real Alakazam just before it disappeared into its Ball, in spite of its weakened accuracy.

Sabrina smiled, not speaking as she deployed another Pokémon; Kadabra was back, spinning its spoon and growling, "Kada-kada!"

The Rogue did not let Sabrina's quick-switch strategy deter him, but he did strive to pay attention to the noise over the headset. He was running out of time; Mr. Rich would be back any minute, and he needed to make this bust. He continued the battle with Beedrill, "Use Twineedle!" Beedrill made its signature move once again, braving the pain of its Kinesis-induced headache.

Which would only get worse, "Kinesis." Kadabra's unseen energy burst struck again, bending its spoon and making Beedrill buzz in agony again. Twineedle missed again.

"Psybeam," Sabrina commanded again, and Kadabra aimed its eyes at Beedrill. Unable to dodge in time, Beedrill was overcome by the force of the Psychic attack, and was knocked backwards into the wall of the Gym. It gave one last furious buzz before collapsing, fainted.

"No," Stacy mumbled as the Rogue switched out Beedrill for Jolteon, "Beedrill's Pursuit and Brick Break would've won this battle. What's he gonna do now?"

" . . . Okay, here you go, the Badge designs are right here . . ."

The Rogue's heart raced faster, and he listened intently to the chatter. His time was up.

"I'd have to look at them, first. I want to pick something really cool to represent our Gym."

"Fine, fine, fine, but look while you're signing, please!"

"Give me a moment. I need to be sure everything is in place."

The Rogue scowled, and pressed on with the battle as quickly as possible, "Jolteon, use Sand-Attack!" Jolteon turned around and kicked up a cloud of sand at Kadabra, striking it full in the face. Jolteon barked in triumph, but its triumph soon turned to agony. Suddenly, and out of nowhere, a white column of energy appeared and struck Jolteon hard, making it whimper and cower. Alakazam's Future Sight had landed, just as the Rogue predicted.

"Recover," Sabrina calmly ordered, and Kadabra began to hum, closing its eyes and waving its spoon here and there. Its strange incantation gave it a newfound vitality; just as with Misty's Starmie, Kadabra's health had been restored, "Kada-brrrrrrrra!"

"I'm not sure which one to go with . . ."

"Please, we can decide all that later! Just sign the form!"

"Not until everything is in its proper place."

The Rogue gasped in frustration. Mr. Rich was close to closing the deal on Kiyo's Gym, and time was of the essence. "Jolteon, Thundershock!" he commanded fiercely, and Jolteon's white, jagged pelt released a thin lightning bolt that struck Kadabra hard. It tried to make a move to retaliate, but found that it could not.

"Yes!" the Rogue sighed, "Paralyzed! Jolteon, Pin Missile!" Jolteon nodded, and flexed its body again; the thin, dangerously sharp spines flew from its fur and showered Kadabra four times, and it wavered on the spot.

Sabrina gasped as well, knowing her strategy had finally been disrupted. "Recover," she remained calm, but Kadabra didn't; it still shook in pain with the effects of Paralysis.

"Thundershock!" the Rogue quickly commanded, and Jolteon sent another sizzling bolt at its enemy, striking it again. Before Kadabra could make another move, the Rogue made the finishing move, "Pin Missile!" Jolteon flexed again, the sharp projectiles attacked Kadabra with three spines, and the Psi Pokémon fell at last. Its spoon fell from its hand and clattered to the floor as it collapsed, fainted.

"Please, Kiyo, we don't have time for this!"

"Like I said, I want to make sure everything's in place. This partnership deal lasts for five years before renewal, right?"

The Rogue picked up more chatter, and cursed himself for not hurrying. Sabrina telekinetically returned Kadabra and brought Abra back to the field in a burst of white light. Naturally, Sabrina's first move was, "Reflect."

The Rogue adjusted his counterattack accordingly, "Thundershock!" Jolteon obeyed, and another string of lightning erupted from its white mane. It struck Abra, but the Psychic-type hardly noticed (not because the move was blocked, as Reflect would not protect against Thundershock, but because Abra still appeared to be asleep).

Sabrina's next move was predictable, "Light Screen." Both screening moved flashed on, one bronze, the other pink, shielding Abra from half the damage it should take in battle.

The Rogue did not let up, "Another Thundershock!" Another string of lightning, and Abra was struck again.

Sabrina made another counter, "Metronome."

Both Stacy and Dontae gasped; they knew what would happen now. Or rather, they knew that, with Metronome in play, _anything_ could happen.

For the first time since the start of the battle, Abra lifted its hands. Its pointer finger on each hand wiggled back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. The tension in the air could be measured by the pound; Metronome was a unique, wild card move that caused the user to unleash virtually any Pokémon technique into battle, even moves unknown by the user. The effects were finally seen; a blob of mud sprang from the ground and coated Abra, turning it into an even deeper brown.

"Mud Sport!" the Rogue, Dontae and Stacy all identified the electricity-reducing move at once. The Rogue knew this meant for a change in tactics, "Sand-Attack!" Jolteon kicked out another cloud of sand, striking Abra full in the face with it (it was unknown if this would be effective, as Abra's eyes were nearly always closed).

"Metronome," Sabrina called again, and Abra's fingers worked their magic; a thick, pink bubble was projected around it, shielding it from more of Jolteon's moves.

The Rogue knew this move to be Barrier, a defense-boosting move, and knew that his advantage was slowly drying up. "Pin Missile!" he called again, and Jolteon obeyed. The pins struck twice, but Abra didn't seem to feel it, even if it wanted to.

"Metronome," Sabrina called out a third time, and Abra's fingers clicked from side to side. The Rogue flinched for a moment, until Abra's move was made: Zap Cannon. A ball of surging, electric blue energy formed between Abra's clicking fingers, and flew at top speed, striking Jolteon dead in the face. Jolteon howled, but not in pain; its Volt Absorb ability nullified the attack and returned Jolteon's health to maximum.

Reflect had faded by this time, and the Rogue seized the chance. "Pin Missile!" the Rogue pressed his advantage with a victorious grin. Jolteon mimicked that grin, and sent its most deadly shower of pins yet. It struck Abra harshly five times, the Psi Pokémon rolled backwards and flopped onto its side, finally defeated.

" . . . is taking you so long!"

" . . . what does this word mean again?"

The Rogue almost laughed at his absurd good fortune, but knew not to celebrate. Sabrina was down to her last Pokémon, but it was also her strongest. Lifting her PokéBall psychically, Sabrina deployed Alakazam; it, too, was battle-worn, but ready to fight.

"Jolteon, Thundershock!" the Rogue sped in quickly. Jolteon unleashed another thin bolt, and it struck Alakazam, luckily Paralyzing it.

Or, perhaps, not so luckily. Jolteon was suddenly seized with pain, and it, too, appeared to have difficulty moving.

"Synchronize," the Rogue muttered, which was Alakazam's Ability. It was able to inflict the same Status ailment it suffered onto its opponent, be it Poison, Burning, or Paralysis. Both Pokémon struggled to move, but winced in pain as they did so.

Sabrina pressed on anyway, "Psychic." Alakazam's eyes glowed deep blue, and the space around Jolteon warped and twisted, making Jolteon squeal in agony. Through sheer force of will, Alakazam lifted Jolteon ten feet in the air with its mind and slammed it back into the ground with a mighty crash. Jolteon did not get up.

" . . . . sure we can hold a meeting with my fellow Trainers? Many of them are abroad, training."

"Yes! Yes, of course, I'll find them and gather them up for you, now sign it!"

The Rogue could swear the racing of his pulse could be heard. Both he and his foe were down to one Pokémon, and Rich was inching closer to swindling Kiyo out of his Gym. The Rogue placed all his hope into his last Pokémon, and deployed Raichu with a PANG! She appeared to have shaken off her Confusion, and was now sparking her cheeks, ready to end this battle.

Sabrina started off strong, "Future Sight." Once again, Alakazam's eyes glowed stark white, but nothing else happened. Yet.

The Reflect and Light Screen had faded by this time, so the Rogue did not hold back, "Mega Punch!"

"Chu!" Raichu responded, and sailed into battle, her tiny fist brimming with energy. She slammed the fist into Alakazam, and it reeled back, taking more damage than from any other move so far.

"Psychic," Sabrina's commands were still passive, but Alakazam's vigor remained. Its eyes glowed again, and the distorted Psychic energy began to envelop Raichu.

"Double Team!" the Rogue countered, and Raichu's law-defying speed split it in two, as it had as a Pikachu. The distorted space surrounded Raichu's clone, and the Psychic move missed.

Sabrina's calm was finally fading by this time, and her next move was commanded with a hint of sternness, "Kinesis."

The Rogue countered, "Slam!" Alakazam's Kinesis was launched, but as both Raichus launched the attack, Kinesis ineffectually struck the wrong Raichu, and Alakazam was struck hard with Raichu's whip-like tail. The attack blew both combatants back, and Raichu and Alakazam glared at each other from opposite sides of the field.

That's when Future Sight landed. The white energy column surged, engulfing Raichu and making her scream in pain. Sabrina seized her chance, "Psychic!"

The Rogue anxiously countered, "Thunder!"

Both Pokémon launched their moves simultaneously; Alakazam's eyes glowed as the distorted mass of air sailed toward Raichu, while a thunderclap outside the Gym signaled Raichu's surging yellow bolt. The attacks blew past one another, struck their respective targets, and both Pokémon roared in pain. Raichu was lifted and slammed by the distorted Psychic miasma, while Alakazam's tan skin blistered and blackened from the electric current. Both Pokémon were bruised, weakened, and close to losing consciousness, but both stood staunchly, glaring daggers at one another, daring each other to make the next move.

Raichu's eyes fluttered. It was close to dropping, its strength ebbing away. It turned toward the Rogue, and tears welled up in its eyes, as if desperately looking for forgiveness for its failure.

Suddenly, everyone jumped, even Raichu, and a sound from the other side of the Gym. Alakazam had fallen first.

There was a short, awkward pause, then the Rogue jumped again when Stacy squealed, "YES! You did it! You won!" The Rogue turned and saw her jumping and squealing in glee, Golbat and Charmander dancing with each other in celebration, and Dontae wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand.

Sabrina had returned Alakazam by this time, and had walked up to the Rogue to offer congratulations, "Well, this is quite a shock! But, a loss is a loss. I will admit that you have bested me, Rogue."

The Rogue nearly responded when the headset blared once more, "Well, I think I've seen everything I need to see. Where do I sign?"

"Right here, on the dotted line . . ."

"Hold that thought!" the Rogue quickly said, alerted Golbat to join him, and both raced out the door of the Gym. They swiftly arrived at the front door of the Fighting Dojo, the Rogue burst in, and saw Mr. Rich holding out a stack of papers to a buff man in a martial arts robe and black sash, presumably Kiyo. The Dojo Master was obviously confused, but Rich's face blanched. He had been caught.

"I advise you not to sign just yet, Kiyo," the Rogue stopped him just as the pen in Kiyo's hand touched the paper, "Somebody forgot to show you the fine print."

The police had come to the Dojo to arrest Mr. Rich. As it turned out, he had crafted multiple contracts with similar legal loopholes in order to obtain much of his property, and was indicted on multiple counts of fraud. Sabrina had met the Rogue and company outside the Gym just as the arrest was made, and her mysterious smile was back.

"Your skills are impressive, both on and off the battlefield, detective," she said to him, that same ethereal tone still present, "But it is your prowess on the battlefield that is deserving of this." She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a tiny golden box. Opening the box, Sabrina revealed a fluffy cloth interior, which supported the Rogue's victory spoils: the circular, golden MarshBadge.

The Rogue took it and pinned it to the inside of his wallet. This made his fifth Badge; he was closer and closer to entering the League and stopping Kaine every day. But time was of the essence. There had been enough wasted time already, and the Rogue knew that the rest of this case needed the utmost focus. The Rogue did not want to fail. He had to succeed.

"You will succeed, Rogue," Sabrina turned to the Rogue, her voice oddly compassionate, "My abilities tell me this, you know. You will solve this case."

The Rogue would've scowled, but Sabrina's support was welcome, "Thank you. This Badge will not go to waste, I promise."

"It shouldn't," Sabrina's teasing grin returned, "I saved that one especially for you. I would say I predicted you would beat me, but that would be ironic."

The Rogue sighed, turned to Sabrina, and stared deeply, seriously, into her deep reddish eyes. What happened next was a shock to all who witnessed; the Rogue suddenly took Sabrina by the hips, pulled her in close, and engaged her in a passionate kiss.

Stacy's eyes were saucers and her face was scarlet. Dontae scoffed and rolled his eyes. Charmander covered its eyes with its paws, and Golbat slapped its face against the inside of its wing, the closest thing to a facepalm the Bat Pokémon could initiate.

Sabrina did not resist; rather, she placed her hands gently on the detective's shoulders, folding back the collar of his duster and sinking into comfort. After a few, unusually long moments, the kiss ended, and the Rogue and Sabrina separated. Sabrina hardly had breath remaining.

Despite the tender, oddly sensual moment, the Rogue's voice was still procedural, "Tell me, Sabrina: did you predict that?"

Sabrina was blushing as well. Her eyes wide, her hand was pressed against her chest, and her mouth open in a small, perfect "o". She attempted to speak, but after several breathless attempts, all she could manage was a simple, wispy, ". . . . . . No."

The Rogue gave a rough grin of his own, "I thought so." With that, he turned, motioned for his posse to follow, and made his way to the garage in which his bike was being kept.


	19. 19 - I Bike it Like That

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#19: I Bike it Like That

With five Badges safely in tow, the Rogue now sped through the bustle of Celadon City, Stacy clutching him around the waist and Dontae in the sidecar. Charmander was once again riding atop Golbat high above them. They had cut through Saffron and returned through the tollbooths quickly to Celadon, west of which lie the entrance to Cycling Road. It was this road, accessible only by bicycle or some other personal vehicle, that segued between Celadon City and Fuchsia City, where the Rogue's sixth Badge await.

This was not on the Rogue's mind at the time.

All day long, ever since leaving Saffron City, he had been thinking about the unintentional, yet still disturbing revelation that, somehow, Kaine knew Team Rocket. It made no sense; Kaine had his own agenda, and one of a much grander and more ruthless scale than the Rockets' usual petty larceny. Why would a destructive madman associate himself with overdramatic peons like Team Rocket?

The Rogue's mental questioning stopped when the motorcycle stopped. In the middle of the bush-edged dirt road just outside of town, snoring peacefully and occasionally jiggling from a sleepy twitch, was a great green mass, cream-colored on top. It was nearly seven feet tall (and almost as wide) and had stubby, sharp-clawed arms and legs, and appeared about as immovable as a mountain.

"Oh, no," Stacy worriedly said as she gazed up at the creature, "That's a Snorlax. These things don't move for barely any reason once they're asleep. We'll have to go around somehow."

"It's not always a straight line, is it?" Dontae groaned, "Sometimes there's a REALLY BIG FAT SCHMUCK SLEEPING IN THE ROAD!" He had growled this last part particularly loudly, and cupped his hands around his mouth to amplify. Snorlax did not budge.

The Rogue groaned and dug into his duster. At first, it seemed like he would be battling this immense living roadblock, but this was not the case. The Rogue had pulled from his duster a plastic zip-top bag, inside of which appeared to be a thick, juicy roast beef sandwich.

As the Rogue removed the plastic bag, Stacy was onto his plan, "Oh, I get it! We're gonna lure it away! Snorlax does like food, doesn't it?"

Dontae sniggered at this sight, "Kanto brand roast beef presents: Messin' with Snorlax!"

The Rogue ignored him and walked up to Snorlax's head; the portly beast's mouth opened and closed with each titanic snore. The Rogue waved the sandwich over Snorlax's face like a smelling-salt, and Snorlax suddenly stirred. Its bulbous, scrunched-up face twitched as it suddenly, yet slowly righted itself, and it stood at attention, reaching out to the foodstuffs in the Rogue's hand with a greedy moan, "Uhhhhhh . . ."

"That's it, big fella," the Rogue coaxed the Sleeping Pokémon, "That's right, follow the pretty sandwich. That's right." As Snorlax moved its tonnage around on its stumpy feet, the Rogue growled low to his cohorts, "Go, I'll be right with you!"

Dontae and Stacy nodded, and Dontae began pushing the motorcycle along the path, Stacy disembarking in order to help. Golbat and Charmander saw this from above, and Golbat landed, letting Charmander walk beside its Trainer. Golbat swooped over to where the Rogue was and landed behind Snorlax, helping to guide it off the narrow road and allow them to pass.

The Rogue lured Snorlax into a nearby clearing just outside the city limits, and placed the sandwich on the ground. He and Golbat then both quickly made their way back to the path as Snorlax chuckled greedily while munching on the sandwich.

Making his way through the tollbooth with Golbat at his side, the Rogue could see no one tending it for some reason. Perplexed, the Rogue bent over the desk on the right side to see if anyone was hidden from view. There was no one; save for Golbat and himself, not another living soul presented itself.

The Rogue was about to wonder why, before he heard a familiar noise.

"Oh, no!" the Rogue grumbled out loud, and swiftly made his way to the opposite end of the tollbooth. As he and Golbat stepped through the door, he saw Stacy cowering, crying, and hiding behind Dontae. Dontae himself had one arm bent back to shield her, the other hand hovering over the PokéBalls on his belt, while Charmander growled and bared its claws, the fire on its tail intensifying.

The Rogue could see why, and could see the source of the noise. Dotted all over the dirt clearing on this end of the Cycling Road was yet another series of Bikers—about thirty in total—swinging pipes and metal chains and revving around the clearing, hollering with excited abandon. Six or eight Bikers were making wide laps around Dontae, Stacy and Charmander, taunting them, swinging and Dontae and grabbing at Stacy's clothes.

Before anything else, the Rogue's voice was muffled as he stuck his arms out and screamed up at the sky, "WHY!?" Heaving a deep sigh, he turned to Golbat and nodded. Golbat returned the nod, took off into the air, and swept its wings, projecting a ferocious Air Cutter at the Bikers. Just like in the Cerulean Underground Tunnel, all the motorcycles riding circles around the Rogue's friends were stricken by Golbat's air-blades; three of them stalled, and two exploded into pieces. Golbat followed up by swooping in and allowing Dontae and Stacy to grab its feet, pulling them to safety. With Dontae taking Charmander by the paw, Golbat quickly leaped out of the chaos, bringing all three safely in front of the Rogue.

It was only by this time that the Bikers had figured out what was going on, and they rounded on he who had interrupted their fun. The Bikers that had been thrown off their rides by Golbat's attack were particularly livid, and had begun swearing at the Rogue and waving their weapons at him. All the others readied their PokéBalls for combat.

The Rogue waved dismissively at them, "Look, guys, don't even try it, okay? I will hand your asses to you again if you do."

The Bikers didn't even seem to notice that the Rogue had said anything, and continued to advance menacingly. However, everyone in the vicinity froze when another voice rang out, "HOLD IT!"

There was a bustling in the back of the group, and Biker after Biker stepped aside as someone from the back made their way forward. As the front row of Bikers parted, another Cue Ball Trainer stepped forward. Like the bosses of the previous Biker groups, he was tall, almost as wide, and had a shiny bald head. Unlike the others, though, this Biker Boss wore a leather jacket that, while the others' were normal, his bore a stylized insignia: thin red letters against a black background that spelled out, "K. B. U."

The boss's voice was deep and imposing, but surprisingly calm, "You're the cop who's been messin' with my boys, aren't you?"

The Rogue smirked, unwilling to let himself be intimidated, "Who wants to know?"

"The leader of the Kanto Biker Underground, that's who!" the large man boomed, "The name's Paxton, and I've been getting' word from my boys in Cerulean and Celadon that a tough-guy cop is ruining our fun and getting' us busted. They say that cop looked a lot like you!"

The Rogue merely shrugged, "So what if I am? If I am, you wouldn't want to challenge me, would you? Your boys have been having enough trouble so far. Challenging me now would just hurt their feelings!"

Rather than be angry or insulted, Paxton scoffed and smirked right back, "You got guts, cop. 'Course, you'd have to have guts to mess with us the way you have been. Still, I think somebody oughta teach you to keep your big nose outta our business once and for all."

The Rogue cocked an eyebrow and retorted with a sardonic tone, "And how do you propose to do that? I've already brought down you idiots twice, and I'm in a particularly sour mood, so I'm not afraid to do it again. So if you're gonna battle me, get it over with now, but if not, then get the hell out of my way!"

Paxton was unfazed. He moved his enormous bulk toward the Rogue and stared straight into his eyes, his stony features made clearer by the proximity. The Rogue suddenly had trouble breathing because of the man's disturbing body odor. "'Not afraid', huh? You afraid to battle with me, one-on-one?" The Rogue was about to answer that he wasn't but took it back when Paxton added, "on bikes?"

All the other Bikers jeered, and Paxton was now displaying a rough, yet victorious grin. Dontae and Stacy glanced at each other, as did Charmander and Golbat, and the Rogue looked back at Paxton with incredulity. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You heard me, cop!" Paxton said roughly, his voice rising for the first time, "You and I have a Pokémon battle while riding down Cycling Road at top speed! You win, we leave you alone."

Even in the face of danger, Dontae still had to make a smart-aleck comment, "POKÉMON BATTLES ON MOTORCYCLES!"

"Shut up, you!" the Rogue barked at him before resuming his inquiries, "And I assume you expect something if you win?"

Paxton gave another rough grin, "Yep. I win, I get to keep your stuff! That means your bike, your money, and your Pokémon! Not to mention your," he looked past the Rogue and winked at Stacy, "little girlfriend, there." Stacy shivered and rushed to hide behind Dontae.

The Rogue continued his passive questioning, "And when we stop at the end?"

Paxton's next words were the hardest of all to believe, "You _don't_ stop. At all. Unless the battle ends before we get there, you gotta keep revvin', and if you stop, you forfeit. You make your Poke aim at the other guy's bike, you forfeit. Oh, and if you crash? Yeah, you forfeit then, too." He sniggered at this, and the other Bikers followed suit sycophantically.

These were highly dangerous terms, and the Rogue knew that these Biker punks would go around them if there was a chance. Still, the Rogue had been through equally perilous circumstances, if not worse. Continuing the discussion of terms, the Rogue responded, "And how do I know your goons won't hurt my friends while we're racing? If we do this, Golbat stays with them; one false move, they'll be pulled to safety, and I call the cops to book the lot of you."

Paxton rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Fine, whatever. If my boys hurt your friends before the race is over, all bets are off, and we go quietly. You happy now?"

The Rogue scowled at Paxton's patronization, one-hundred-percent sure he wouldn't keep his word. This was the best he knew he would get, though, and settled for it, thinking he would have to try his best to pull his group out of danger after all this was over. With everything in place, the Rogue answered his consent, "Deal."

"Excellent," Paxton snickered, and he made his way across the clearing to where his bike, the biggest and most intimidating machine in the area, rested against the wooden fence. The Rogue walked to his own machine and began pushing to the starting point.

"Dude, this is crazy!" Dontae urged him, "That goon's gonna kill you! You can't seriously tell me you're not worried!"

"Of course I'm worried," the Rogue answered calmly, "Trust me, I know perfectly well that you can't trust these guys any farther than you can drop-kick them. But I'm always prepared. Once those punks start roughing you up, Golbat will pull you out of the fire, and it'll use its sonar to signal me. When it does, I signal the Celadon Police, and they'll jump in to assist us in no time."

"Well, I hope that works out," Dontae replied dryly, "'Cause these guys are looking less and less like they wanna just stand by and watch." He was right; the Bikers standing idly by wore expressions that gave away their desire to raise mayhem.

As the Rogue approached the starting point, the end of the clearing just before the concrete incline of Cycling Road, Dontae gave him one last sign-off from the other side, "Give him Hell for us, Rogue."

Stacy added, a little disconcertedly, "Please be careful." Golbat nodded next to her, a look in its sharp gaze that begged its partner not to let anything go wrong.

The Rogue nodded to his companions and mounted his bike, taking a PokéBall from his duster, enlarging and opening it. In a flash, Beedrill buzzed next to him, jabbing its stingers in the air and readying for combat.

Paxton rolled his menacing chopper next to the Rogue, and released his Pokémon in the same way. In another flash, Paxton's Pokémon stood ready for combat, as well—a Machamp.

It was the final form of Machop, and took its color from that form, but it was a bit taller and leaner than Machoke. It still had Machoke's briefs and wrestler's belt, and the three crests on its head. The most noticeable difference: Machamp had two extra arms, each attached to the back of the shoulders of the first two.

"What?" the Rogue called out in surprise to Paxton's choice of competitor, "A Machamp? How do you expect that thing to keep up with us on bikes?"

"Trust me," Paxton replied, that same superior smirk plastered on his face, "It'll keep up just fine."

Machamp grinned as well, flexing all four of its arms and doubling the sounds of cracking joints.

Beedrill buzzed angrily in retaliation, ready to strike, but the Rogue held it back, "Hold it! You need to wait for the race to start. You'll have to be able to keep up with both bikes and your opponent while battling. Can you do that, old friend?"

Beedrill glanced between its Trainer and its foe, and nodded its assent with a determined buzz.

"Good," the Rogue replied, then quickly advised, "now keep your wits about you. These Bikers are untrustworthy." The Rogue then gunned the engine of his bike, and Paxton did the same with his monstrous chopper. Both combatants stared down the stretch of gravel as the sounds of their bikes disrupted the calm of the late afternoon air. One of the Bikers, a woman dressed scantily in black leather shorts and red leather tube top, sauntered out in front of the two racers, holding both hands in the air. Predictably, there were wolf whistles and catcalls, but the Rogue resisted the urge to groan and slap his forehead with his palm when he realized that the whistles and catcalls were coming from Dontae.

The woman counted backwards from five with one hand, and the Rogue steadied his nerves. Five . . . Four . . . . Three . . . . . Two . . . . . . One . . . . . . . . .

The woman threw her arms down; the gauntlet was thrown. Both engines roared, and the Rogue and Paxton raced down the gravel stretch at full speed. Beedrill zoomed beside the Rogue, its buzz nearly matching the roar of the machines. The Rogue took several glances at Paxton, and was shocked to see Machamp nearly matching Paxton's bike at a full run. Whenever the Superpower Pokémon fell too far behind, it would take an immensely powerful leap, and be a few feet ahead of Paxton's chopper by the time it hit ground.

Not letting Machamp's surprising agility deter him, the Rogue started the battle defensively, "Beedrill, Harden!" Beedrill obeyed, and it instantly gained a shiny, reflective coating all over, raising its Defense.

Paxton countered quickly, "Machamp, use Focus Punch!" Machamp aimed its two left fists at Beedrill, using the time it was given by Beedrill's Harden to charge up the move. After a few seconds, the second half of the move was executed; with both fists emitting a white-hot glow, Machamp leaped toward Beedrill and slammed into the Bug-Type with a massive punch, knocking it back several feet.

The Rogue made his counterattack count, "Beedrill, Twineedle!" Beedrill buzzed angrily and zoomed back into position, swarming a bit further forward to strike Machamp hard with its deadly twin stingers.

Paxton cackled loudly, "Hah! Don't make me laugh, cop! Machamp, Scary Face!" The Fighting-Type turned roughly to Beedrill after recovering from Twineedle, then sprang suddenly into Beedrill's path, making a hellishly gruesome face. Beedrill buzzed in alarm and stopped dead in midair for a few seconds; it took much longer this time for it to catch up again.

"Damn!" the Rogue cursed out loud; Scary Face would lower Beedrill's speed significantly. The Rogue worked fast to put himself back on the offensive, ""Beedrill, Pursuit!" Beedrill's speed hadn't diminished entirely just yet; it covered itself with a dark aura and slammed its stingers into Machamp again. It caused little damage, but the move was made just as Machamp took a long leap, and Machamp's balance was thrown.

"Don't think that'll work, cop!" Paxton barked, "Machamp, Strength!" Machamp grinned, raced to catch up to Beedrill and grabbed it by one of its scrawny legs. Beedrill buzzed in fury before Machamp threw it with all its might into the ground, making it shake slightly. Beedrill's injuries made it difficult for the Poison Bee Pokémon to keep up with the racers.

Suddenly, a noise went off that put both racers bikes to shame, and both had to resist the urge to cover their ears. Beedrill's wings were buzzing furiously, with a sound resembling that of a jet engine, and its whole body seemed to be vibrating with pure power. The Rogue saw this, and recognized it as Beedrill's Swarm Ability; when Beedrill was down to the last of its health, Swarm would boost the power of its Bug-Type moves by almost double.

The Rogue seized his chance and put all his hope into the next attack, "Twineedle again!" Buzzing with all the world's fury, Beedrill covered the distance between them in a hurry and jabbed Machamp hard in the back with its two stingers. Machamp groaned, and began exhaling purple clouds of Poison.

"Grrr! No!" Paxton rebelled, readying the countermeasure, "Machamp, use Cross Chop!" Machamp turned to face Beedrill and raced in the opposite direction, forming an X-shape in front of it with each pair of arms. Machamp leaped, but the Poison made it ache terribly, and its aim suffered; Beedrill effortlessly dodged.

The Rogue took the advantage, "Brick Break!" Beedrill gave a mighty buzz of victory and sped back to where Machamp was beginning to catch up again; just as Machamp leaped back into position alongside the racers, just before touching ground, Beedrill slammed the broad side of its stinger directly into Machamp's face, and the Fighting-type was knocked off its feet, flung through the air, and banged against Paxton's chopper just before rolling to a stop, unconscious.

Paxton, however, was in worse shape; being knocked around by Machamp's sudden collision made his bike shiver and waver in all directions. He had lost control, and the fence of the opposite end of the Cycling Road was coming up fast.

"Ahhhh!" Paxton shouted, hanging on to his chopper for dear life, "Get me off! Get me outta here! Help!"

The Rogue glanced quickly between the end of the road and the spiraling chopper over and over again. Unwilling to help the leader of a group of Bikers that had harassed him for a bulk of his journey, he felt his detective's obligations force his hands. He steered quickly and closely toward Paxton's bucking chopper and whistled for Beedrill.

As soon as the insectoid Pokémon was within reach, the Rogue called out, "Beedrill, grab him and toss him to me!"

Beedrill did a double-take at this order, glanced at Paxton maliciously, then complied. Beedrill stabbed a large hole in the collar of Paxton's jacket, sticking its stinger through it, and pulled, lifting Paxton off the speeding death machine and into the air. The Rogue sped up, aimed carefully, keeping an eye on the ever-closing distance between him and the end of the road. Paxton sailed screaming through the air, sped toward the ground quickly, and . . .

FLOP! The large Biker landed face-first into the Rogue's bike's side car, and the detective immediately slammed on the brakes. The machine screeched for a few yards, then stopped a mere two-and-a-half feet from the wooden fence. Paxton's chopper sailed past them, broke through the wooden fence, and crashed violently into a tree behind it. Both wheels and the handlebars flew off, and the long front end crumpled to the length of a normal bike. The remaining pieces collapsed into a sad, smoking heap.

The Rogue dismounted and took several heaving breaths; this was the most exhausting battle he'd ever fought. Beedrill swooped in and buzzed triumphantly, and the Rogue reached out to pat it on the back, "Thank you, my friend." The Rogue then turned roughly to Paxton as he was heaving his girth out of the sidecar, and barked harshly at him, "Don't you ever say I did nothing to help you, scum!"

Paxton was shaking and sweating heavily, and seemed speechless after what had transpired. "I . . ." he tried to speak up past his rattled breathing, "I . . . . I could've died . . . . you saved me . . . why?"

The Rogue sighed, finally catching his own breath, "I'm a cop. It's what I do."

Paxton blinked a few times, and stared at the ground soundlessly for a few moments, as if stunned by what he'd just heard. "My gang's been after you for days, but you still risked your own ass to save me . . . I . . . . . . I was wrong about you . . ."

The Rogue shrugged, "Most people are. Now, if that's all, I believe we had a deal. I won the battle, and the stakes were that your group would be off my back." Beedrill buzzed angrily next to him, threateningly waving its stingers at the Biker Boss.

Paxton glanced at the Rogue, and slowly nodded, "You got it. I'll call off every Biker in Kanto. From now on, when they see you coming, they'll either back off, or answer to me."

The Rogue gave another long sigh, this one of relief, "Thank you, Paxton. You'd better fetch your Machamp, it'll be waiting for you in the road. And since you no longer have a working vehicle, I suppose mine will have to do. Get in," he gestured to the sidecar as he mounted the bike once again. Paxton hesitantly stuffed himself inside, and the Rogue gunned the engine, speeding back up the incline of Cycling Road. Beedrill buzzed loyally beside him as they raced back to the beginning

By the time the Rogue made his way back to the top of the Cycling Road, it was close to sunset. He pulled over and dismounted quickly, and was relieved to see Dontae and Stacy standing where he'd left them, unharmed. Golbat and Charmander stood beside them, looking relieved to see the same with the Rogue.

The Bikers bustled toward their leader, asking for him to tell them how badly the Rogue lost. As Paxton dismounted, his words were not what his followers wanted to hear, "All right you guys, listen up! The cop won fair and square! We had a deal, and that means we're gonna let him off! And if I see any of you roughin' him up, or any of his buddies, I'll have you for breakfast, you hear me?"

Instead of kowtowing to Paxton's demands, the group began to grow restless and resentful. One by one, insults and grievances were slung left and right:

"What the hell, man?!"

"You said you were gonna cream that cop!"

"What, did you ask him to marry you, too?"

"We don't listen to weaklings!"

"We'll take out that cop ourselves!"

Paxton shouted back, "Hey! I said we let 'em go, so we let 'em go! I don't want any back-talk, you hear?!"

But the Bikers weren't listening; the insults and angry commentary came at them in droves, and Paxton even had to dodge a pipe thrown at him from the middle of the crowd. One Biker in the front row suddenly lunged at the Rogue, taking the detective by surprise; even more surprising, Paxton pushed the Rogue out of the way, intercepting the attack. This knocked the Rogue back, pushing him to the ground and spilling the evolution stone bag out of his duster pocket.

This seemed to be the signal for war; dozens of PokéBalls sprang open with a deafening PAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG! Koffings, Weezings, Grimers and Muks congested the clearing, all ordered to battle by their Trainers. The Rogue's Beedrill, still outside its own Ball, immediately went to work fighting them off. Golbat and Charmander quickly rushed to their teammate's aid. Two more PokéBalls sounded off, and Donate's Vulpix and Paxton's Machamp joined the fray.

"Flamethrower!" Dontae called out, and Charmander and Vulpix both obeyed, spraying two Koffings with deadly fire. A Grimer tried to slam Vulpix with a Pound, but the attack was met with Vulpix's Iron Tail. A Weezing flew at Charmander for a Take Down, but the reptilian creature struck back with a ferocious Dragon Claw. Both Fire-types easily dispatched their opponents.

Dontae was about to call out another command, when he was suddenly shoved forward, and he fell flat on his stomach. Four Bikers then jumped out of nowhere and sprang on top of him, punching whatever they could reach. Dontae struggled, flailed, and struck back as much as he could, but to no avail, and he felt himself bleeding and slowly losing consciousness, before . . . . .

FWOOOOOSH! An enormous jet of fire pushed the four miscreants off of Dontae, torching their clothes, hair and skin and making their run away screaming. Dontae got up, dusted himself off and went to thank Charmander. But he stayed silent when he saw that it wasn't Charmander; it was Vulpix.

At least, it used to be Vulpix.

Standing amongst the pile of scattered evolution stones stood a magnificent fox-like Pokémon. It was over a foot taller than Vulpix, and instead of shiny red fur, this new creature was coated in gorgeous golden-white fur. It had piercing red eyes, and the tips of its nine luxurious tails were golden-brown. It squealed with a deeper voice than Vulpix, and raced up to Dontae, rubbing against him affectionately and inspecting his wounds.

Dontae was amazed and awed by his newly evolved Pokémon's power and beauty. "Thank you, Ninetales," he calmly replied, gathering his bearing, "now let's take care of these clowns! Flamethrower!" Ninetales obeyed, spraying an oncoming Muk with fire and instantly knocking it back.

The Rogue, meanwhile, kept Stacy protected at all times and commanded his Golbat to repel oncoming assaults from various Poison-types. Beedrill, however, seemed to need no commands; still braving its injuries from its battle with Paxton's Machamp in order to utilize its Swarm Ability, Beedrill's strength and ferocity was amplified to the maximum. It fought off numerous Koffing and Grimer easily with Pursuit after Pursuit, and whaled on every Weezing and Muk with a repetitive streak of Brick Breaks. When faced with the Tackles and Pounds from its foes, it stiffened itself up with Harden before jabbing back with a series of powered-up Twineedle attacks.

The Rogue was amazed at Beedrill's skill and independence, knowing that this was the type of battling it was born for. Quickly shaken back to his senses after pushing Stacy out of the way of a Sludge attack, the Rogue kept up the commands to his Golbat, "Use Air Cutter!"

Golbat's attack knocked out two Weezing at once, but was caught by the Body Slam of a Muk from behind. The Bat Pokémon struggled and screeched, until Muk was lifted from the ground suddenly, freeing Golbat. Machamp's Strength was making effortless work of the slimy creature, and the Superpower Pokémon slammed Muk back into the ground, knocking it out. Golbat grinned, and repaid the favor by swooping down behind Machamp and slapping away another Weezing with its Wing Attack.

Jets of fire spat out, blades of wind danced through the air, and Poison-type after Poison-type thudded to the ground, dazed and defeated. Charmander often struck Ninetales with a Flamethrower, allowing the Fox Pokémon to be powered up by its own Flash Fire ability. It, in turn, would fry its next opponent with a super-charged Flamethrower that much more thoroughly. Golbat and Beedrill stood back-to-back, fighting off their foes with stinger and wing, easily resisting Sludge, Smog and Poison Gas attacks and countering hard enough to lay waste to their opponents. More than once, Beedrill's Hardened body protected Golbat from an oncoming attack, Golbat's Air Cutter struck multiple foes when Beedrill could not handle them alone, and both Poison-type Pokémon were pleased to receive the assistance of a well-placed Cross Chop from Paxton's Machamp.

Finally, well into nightfall, all the Bikers' Pokémon were defeated. The Bikers were still angry and tried to continue themselves, but a demonstration of Ninetales' new strength put them in their place; the Fire-type released a massive Confuse Ray that dazed and stupefied every last Biker in the area. The ones that did not wander aimlessly around in circles or simply walk off to who-knew-where, simply collapsed into a dazed heap, mumbling insipidly and drooling.

The Rogue, Dontae, Stacy, Charmander, Golbat and Beedrill all gathered before Paxton in the clearing on the opposite end of Cycling Road. This clearing led to another toll booth that was the gateway to Fuchsia City, but Paxton had stopped the group for one last bout of gratitude.

"Thanks a lot, cop," Paxton calmly said, "You saved my ass back there with the guys. I meant what I said before, so next time my guys give you trouble, I'll make sure they regret it."

The Rogue nodded, and Golbat chattered in agreement. Beedrill, however, was still buzzing furiously and slashing and stabbing the air with its stingers. The massive battle had not weakened its resolve in the slightest; rather, it was even more fired up, and seemed to want to find more Bikers to punish with its powerful moves.

Both the Rogue and Paxton noticed this, and smiled. "That bug of yours packs a wallop, dude!" Paxton complimented, "I'd sure like to have a Poke like it on my side! Machamp was nothing compared to power like that!"

The Rogue's warm smile suddenly became bittersweet. Beedrill's needs for combat, though occasionally satiated, were not being met while working with the Rogue. True enough, it did get to battle every so often, but it had to share battling duties with Charmeleon, Jolteon, Sandslash and Raichu, and any situation requiring a swift and strong Poison-type was usually filled by Golbat. Furthermore, Beedrill seemed immensely happy putting down these Bikers' Pokémon, and the Rogue knew it would get many more opportunities to battle when it was under the ownership of a Trainer like Paxton.

The Rogue looked at Beedrill's excited face and reluctantly asked, "How would you like to rough up some Bikers with Paxton?"

The Rogue expected Beedrill to be sad or angry at this implication. Rather, Beedrill seemed overtly ecstatic, and it buzzed with a glee the Rogue had not seen since its capture. The Rogue's bittersweet smile remained, and he pulled the other four PokéBalls from his duster and summoned his other four Pokémon. In a massive flash, Charmeleon, Raichu, Sandslash and Jolteon appeared in the clearing before their Trainer.

"Okay, guys, I have some news for you," the Rogue tried to stay procedural, despite what he was about to relay, "Beedrill has found a new place to go, and it won't be joining us for the rest of this case."

All of the Rogue's Pokémon, including Golbat, were shocked by what they had just heard. Charmeleon and Sandslash looked down dejectedly, Jolteon sighed, and Raichu's eyes teared up, and she began sobbing again (this time, turning away when she suddenly released more emotional arcs of electricity, as she always did).

"Really?" Paxton replied in disbelief, "You mean it? I get to work with Beedrill some more?"

The Rogue felt himself tear up as well, but hid it as best he could, "Yes, Paxton. Beedrill will be better suited fighting with you than with me. You can use its strength better than I can."

Beedrill gave another joyous buzz and snuggled up to the Rogue one last time, poking him playfully with its stingers. The Rogue sighed sadly, "I'll miss you, Beedrill. But this seems to be the way things will work best. Thank you for your service, old friend."

Beedrill nodded, its large eyes suddenly becoming misty as well. They grew even more so when Golbat hovered over to Beedrill and stuck out a friendly wing, wishing it well. Beedrill glanced between the wing and the face, and reached out to slap it in a friendly return gesture. All the Rogue's other Pokémon wished Beedrill well as it reluctantly hovered over next to Paxton and placed a friendly stinger on his shoulder, signifying their new partnership.

The Rogue slowly held out Beedrill's empty PokéBall to Paxton. He felt his voice nearly break when he calmly urged, "Take care of it."

Paxton seemed to be getting emotional too; he wiped his eyes off on the back of his sleeve. "You bet, man," he agreed, taking the Ball and putting it into his jacket pocket, "we'll keep those goons of mine in line, even if we have to crack down on 'em every day! Good luck, you guys."

The Rogue gave a lazy salute, returned his team back to their Balls, and boarded his bike, ready to make his way along the trail. Stacy and Dontae jumped on board as well, and the engine roared in the night air. The Rogue kept his eyes forward, even as Paxton waved good-bye, not wanting to show that he had indeed released a few tears.

A depressing moment that was interrupted when Dontae suddenly lamented loudly, "Oh, God, what's Janice gonna say about this!?"


	20. 20 - The Raging Scyther

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#20: The Raging Scyther

Streetlamps glowed in the dark streets of Fuchsia City as the Rogue's motorcycle rolled through the city. Stacy clung to him, and Dontae rested in the sidecar, massaging multiple bruises given to him by the Bikers in their earlier bout. Golbat and Charmander hovered above them gently through the air. As the motor hummed, the Rogue made his plans against the Fuchsia Gym Leader, Janine. He'd heard that Koga, Janine's father and mentor, had been promoted to the Elite Four, but that was some time ago, and he wondered where the old ninja master was nowadays. More to the point, he wondered what kind of tactics Janine would employ in their Gym battle, and wondered if she learned any impressive battle tactics from her father, as well . . .

The Rogue shielded his eyes from a set of bright blue-and-red lights in the distance. A series of squad cars from the Fuchsia Police Department was gathered around one of the local residences. Outside the dwelling, Fuchsia's Officer Jenny was taking the statement of a frail-looking old man, who appeared to be distraught for some reason. Other officers were putting up crime tape around the area.

The Rogue stopped the bike and disembarked, flashing his badge to the officers putting up the tape. Dontae and Stacy attempted to follow, but the Rogue stopped them with a wordless gesture. Golbat saw this from the air, and flew low to drop off Charmander before swooping down next to its partner. The Rogue slowly approached Officer Jenny and carefully interrupted, "What's the situation, Officer?"

Jenny glanced up, and recognized the detective, "You're the Rogue, aren't you?" When he nodded, Jenny continued, "House robber, completely cleaned out. No sign of forced entry, no witnesses, and not many clues, save for a—"

"A card with a black 'V'?" the Rogue interrupted, remembering the M.O. of one particularly vexing criminal.

Jenny was surprised by the Rogue's knowledge, "Actually, yes. The victim here is the warden of the Safari Zone, but one of the stolen items was his Gold Teeth. I haven't been able to get a clear statement from him."

The Rogue took it upon himself to take a statement for himself, "Mr. Warden, did you see anything or anyone suspicious before or after you arrived at the scene?"

The warden's words were hardly understandable, coming from a forlornly toothless mouth, "I hink I haw a halow on he rooh hehore I wahd in he loor! I hought ih wah a Hokémon, ho I lin't hink awouh ih, wut when I wahd in, efryhing wah gone!"

Jenny was dumbstruck, until the Rogue translated for her, "He says he thought he saw a shadow on the roof before walking in the door, but he thought it was a Pokémon, so he thought nothing of it until he walked in and saw that everything was gone."

"Uhhh," Jenny answered, unable to comprehend how the Rogue could understand any of that, before simply writing it all down for the record, "Okay . . ."

"Mr. Warden, you have to tell me," the Rogue was suddenly serious, eyeing the old man carefully so as to not lose a single detail, "Where did the shadow go after you saw it?"

The warden answered as intelligibly as he was allowed, "I'm noh hure, wut I hink I haw ih jumph off he rooh an run inho he wools, rye necks ho he hahari hone!"

Again, the officer was confused, until the Rogue supplemented, "He's not sure, but he thinks he saw it jump off the roof and into the woods, right next to the Safari Zone."

As Jenny wrote, a young male officer approached the two and raved, "Officer, we've just got word from a squad in the Safari Zone, they think they've cornered the thief. Suspect is described as tall and thin, green hair and black eyes, wearing a black catsuit. Suspect was seen commanding a Golbat, and is to be considered armed and dangerous."

The Rogue assembled the description in his mind, and saw that same smug grin leering back at him. There was no doubt. Verdus was their man.

Without another word, the Rogue raced away from the crime scene, jumped over the yellow tape, and jumped back onto the bike, revving the engine and swerving quickly toward the Safari Zone entrance. Golbat swept by and picked up a screaming Charmander, only just keeping up with the motorized vehicle.

"WHOOOOOOAAAAA!" Dontae gasped, both he and Stacy taken by surprise, "I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO THE GYYYYYYYYYYM!"

"Verdus is in the Safari Zone!" the Rogue yelled over the roar of the engine, "We're meeting up with Fuchsia PD there!"

"But, Detective!" Stacy responded warily, "We can't! We have to keep getting those badges!"

The Rogue wasn't listening. This was his chance to put Verdus away once and for all. He knew he was risking his schedule by doing this, but if he could apprehend Verdus and return the stolen goods before daybreak, it would all be worth it. Besides, the detective and the thief still had unfinished business; the Rogue would not let him get away this time.

The Safari Zone was a thick, grassy jungle of huge, tropical foliage and dark, shaggy grass. Small lakes reflected the moonlight and shining stars, and dirt clearings showed different species of exotic Pokémon active in the nighttime.

Their activities, however, were somewhat disturbing.

A herd of Tauros, large, brown, bovine creatures with white horns and three whip-like tails, were trudging slowly through the dirt, devoid of the violent vigor they most often showed when stampeding. Nearby, small dart-like objects littered the area. A Chansey, the round, pink, maternal Pokémon with a small pouch to contain her egg, cried and wailed and patted the pouch down, devastated to find it empty. A Parasect, the evolved form of Paras, moaned in pain as it scoured the grass, apparently looking for the missing chunks of its large mushroom shell. All around it, several Paras were jamming their own mushrooms into the gaps, as if to help it heal.

Stacy gasped at the sight of these miserable, injured Pokémon, "This is awful! Who would do such terrible things to these poor, innocent Pokémon?"

Dontae answered her, equally disturbed by the scenery, "Looks like the work of poachers. Some of the rarest Pokémon in Kanto are given refuge in the Safari Zone, so sometimes, people will try to capture massive numbers of them illegally, or hunt them for valuable possessions." The group passed by a Nidorina, the light-blue, female equivalent to a Nidorino, roaring and rubbing her perforated skin in the grass. Some of her poisonous barbs, smaller and rounder than Nidorino's, were missing, and left bleeding holes in the Poison-type's skin. Dontae shuddered as he added, "Or parts . . . ."

The Rogue looked, and listened, desperately trying to locate a clue that would lead him to Verdus. At first, all he heard was the roar of the engine and the cries of wronged Pokémon, but the Rogue listened deeply, allowing nothing to distract him. Despite his pain at seeing these Pokémon hurt, he knew that it would be that much easier to tack on extra charges of poaching once Verdus was caught. Listening deeper for that obnoxious roller-coaster laugh he had come to despise, the Rogue heard a new sound, and slowed down to cut the engine of the bike. He listened, and thought he heard the beating of wings against the cool night air. He looked around for a Golbat (other than his own), but could see nothing. The wingbeats got closer, and louder, until everyone in the vicinity jumped at the loud, raging call of "SCYTHAAAAAAAA!"

"Get down!" the Rogue instinctively shouted, and all three of them jumped off the bike and onto the grassy ground. Swooping above them, inches away from decapitating the Rogue, was a large, green, mantis-like Pokémon with deadly scythes in place of arms. It swooped down again, and the Rogue jumped out of the way, feeling the lethal bug's arm-blade slice off a piece of his duster just as he landed again.

The Rogue got up and observed the Scyther from the ground; its sharp eyes were mad and crazed, pupils shrunken, and its fangs were bared and snapping as it screamed, "Scythaaa!" Just before the Bug-type swooped in for another death-blow, the Rogue observed that the creature's leg was badly broken and bleeding.

"What is wrong with that poor Scyther?!" Stacy yelped, having to be dragged down to the ground by Dontae to avoid getting Slashed by the enraged Mantis Pokémon, "Why is it so angry?!"

"Who cares?!" Dontae bellowed, just dodging another Slash, "That thing is trying to kill us!" He swiped a PokéBall from his belt and readied for combat, "Ninetales ought to be able to handle this!"

"No!" the Rogue called out, "Don't battle it! The wild Pokémon are tense enough as it is! Besides, this Scyther is injured, too! We'll have to escape it!" The Rogue just finished speaking when Scyther landed directly in front of him on its good leg, roaring and slashing at the detective. The Rogue sidestepped a downward stroke, jumped backwards away from a horizontal slash, and bent backwards, barely dodging a straight uppercut. The Rogue's body was weakening with exhaustion, but the crazed Scyther was relentless. Despite its handicap, it kept Slashing and swiping desperately at the Rogue, while the Rogue's dodges were getting slower and slower.

After ducking another Slash, the Rogue heard a rumble from a few feet away, turned, and ducked almost too late. A series of rocks came flying at him from out of nowhere, and when he ducked from their path, three of them struck the crazed Bug-type and sent it flying into the distance.

The Rogue turned to see his savior, but had to hold himself back from attacking; standing smugly next to his Rhydon (the enormous, gray, craggy, and bipedal evolved form of Rhyhorn), was Verdus.

"Nobody messes with my favorite cop but me!" Verdus giggled and patted his Rhydon's belly. Being mere inches taller than its Trainer, Rhydon grunted its pleasure and sneered at the Rogue, its drill-like horn spinning in a staccato fashion.

The Rogue was close to lunging at the crook, regardless of his large Rock-type bodyguard (and the fact that its Rock Blast just saved his life), but several jets of fire blowing past them stopped him. Racing in from a distance, several Fuchsia PD officers were commanding their police Growlithe to attack Verdus' Rhydon. Verdus merely turned and leered at the cops before emitting a whistle. At this command, two things happened at once; Verdus' Golbat dove down and swept the ground under two Growlithe with its Aerial Ace, while a rumble in the dirt went off below the feet of two more. An Arbok, an enormous purple cobra with menacing yellow and black markings on its hood, burst from the dirt and struck the two Puppy Pokémon hard with a super-effective Dig, blaring in a menacing hiss, "Chaaaaaa-bokaaaaa!"

The Rogue felt himself growing a grudging respect for Verdus, having seen the thief's ability to fight off the police using three Pokémon at once, as well as having evolved the Ekans and Rhyhorn he'd seen in their first encounter. Nevertheless, the Rogue realized that Verdus' actions meant that he had no choice but to battle, and he produced two PokéBalls from his duster. With a PANG, Charmeleon and Sandslash appeared, ready for action.

Verdus saw the Rogue's Pokémon charge into the fray, and screamed with laughter, "Now _that's_ what I like to see, Copper! Come at me, bro!" With this, he commanded his Arbok to fly in with an Iron Tail; Arbok obeyed, the last four feet of its tail gaining a shimmering metal coating before striking Sandslash hard with it. Sandslash countered by Slashing it, but Rhydon stepped in the way and took the attack, responding by slamming it brutally with a Take Down. Charmeleon rushed to its friend's aid by swiping at Rhydon with a super-effective Metal Claw, but Verdus' Golbat responded by knocking the Fire-type back with a fierce Steel Wing, an attack that coated Golbat's wing in shiny metal, much like Charmeleon's claws and Arbok's tail.

Dontae, Stacy and Charmander had arrived by this time, and Dontae quickly joined the fray, "Whatever happened to not battling?!" With a PANG, Wartortle joined the battle and blasted Rhydon with Water Pulse.

The ensuing battle propelled Stacy to desperately warn, "Please be careful, Dontae! And don't hurt any of the wild Pokémon!"

Verdus saw Dontae's Wartortle charge into battle, and was amused, "Hmm, what spunk! But you're in the big leagues, kid! Arbok, give 'em a Screech, would ya, please?"

Arbok quickly obeyed, "Chaaaa-boka!", and threw back its head, releasing an ear-shattering Screech that brought human and Pokémon to their knees.

"Don't you take that lying down, buddy!" Dontae encouraged his Pokémon, "Strike back with Skull Bash!" Wartortle immediately sucked its head into its shell, waiting for just the right moment. Once Arbok approached for its next move, Wartortle sprang forward, bashing the Cobra Pokémon hard with its new move and knocking the wind out of it.

The action grew more intense by the second, with Verdus' Pokémon easily dispatching all the police Growlithe and still having enough strength to push back the Rogue and Dontae's Pokémon on their heels. The Rogue watched Verdus carefully the whole time, waiting him to take the opportunity to run, so he could give chase with his Golbat if he needed to. This did not seem likely, at least for a while; the Rogue's own Golbat lunged at its thieving counterpart, and the two Poison-types were locked in another power stuggle, returning wing for wing and tooth for tooth.

Dontae cursed loudly as his Wartortle's Withdraw was easily broken by Rhydon's Horn Drill; the one-hit knockout move severely injured Wartortle and knocked it out effortlessly. Sandslash brought the Drill Pokémon down with an Earthquake, just as Charmeleon's Flamethrower knocked out Arbok, but both winners quickly fell to Verdus' Golbat's Steel Wing and Aerial Ace, respectively, before the Rogue's Golbat had time to help them. Just as Trainers went to return their Pokémon, another sound was heard, gaining the attention of the whole group. A rumble in the distance grew louder and louder, shaking the ground as it approached. Pokémon of all kinds ran screaming towards the group, away from the rumbling as it grew closer and louder. Nervous glances between the cops, the Rogue and his group, and even Verdus, flew back and forth as the rumbling shook the ground hard. Finally, bursting out from a set of bushes was an enormous mobile machine. It was steel grey and resembled a tank, moving on a set of heavy treads and swiveling a large cannon on top. Behind it, a large vertical construct, resembling a silo, was open and catching numerous Pokémon captured by nets. Throwing these detainee Pokémon into the silo were three people that, although on the same side, the Rogue never expected to see working together.

"Look!" yelled Caesar to his comrades, pointing at the Rogue and his group, "It's that annoying cop and his friends again!"

"No!" Julius growled next to him, "Every time we have a perfect scheme set up, he shows up and ruins everything!"

Jumping from the top of the silo, sequined silver uniform glittering madly, Caligula pointed a threatening finger at the Rogue, "Damn you! Just when I thought we could redeem ourselves for the boss! You will rue this day, detective!"

The Rogue was dumbstruck at his own rotten luck, "It can't be! How did you idiots escape from prison again!?"

Caligula glared at the Rogue with his sadistic smile, "Simple, detective. While imprisoned, we all found some common ground: revenge! We had all been sent to prison because of you, and we all hated you for it! Naturally, we banded together, escaped from jail, and put in a good word with Team Rocket's military division to lead a redemption mission to the Safari Zone!"

The Rogue thought back to the injured Pokémon he saw before, and put the rest together, "Then it was you poaching all those poor creatures! You deliberately injured them for personal gain, not Verdus!"

Verdus was suddenly indignant, "What! Me?! I told you, Copper, I don't steal Pokémon! And quite frankly, the idea makes me sick to my stomach! I may be a dirty, rotten scoundrel, but I don't mistreat Pokémon!"

The Rogue couldn't help but widen his surprised eyes. Finally, something happened that these two eternal rivals could agree on.

"Hah!" Julius barked mirthlessly, "You think you're any better than us, even though you're just as big a criminal?! I think someone ought to teach you what real honor among thieves is like! Prepare for trouble from in the tall grass!"

Caesar quickly followed suit, "And make it double, you'd best watch your ass!"

"ENOUGH!" Caligula stopped them both before their lengthy slogan could continue, "Save your pathetic theatrics! Lay waste to this meddler and his friends! I don't care what it takes!" Agent 66 then brought out a PokéBall and executed his own order, "Pinsir, deploy!" Caligula's Pokémon was large and shaped like a stag beetle, colored dark brown with two large, vice-like horns on its head. It grunted, aimed its sharp gaze at the Rogue, and flexed the pointy teeth inside its irregularly shaped, ovular mouth.

Julius and Caesar quickly followed, and with two bright flashes, their Pokémon joined them. The Rogue scowled when he saw that they had evolved as well; Julius' Alakazam spun its twin spoons and chanted repeatedly, "Kazam! Kazam! Kazam!" Caesar's Machamp cracked the joints in all four of its arms and growled at its foes, flexing its impressive musculature.

The Rogue turned and whistled to Golbat, and it pried itself away from Verdus' Golbat and flew swiftly into the fray. Meanwhile, two more PANG sounds went off, and Dontae's Poliwhirl leaped in quickly after. The other Pokémon belonged to Verdus: a Kangaskhan, which was a tall, buff marsupial with grayish-brown fur on top and a cream-colored belly, on which was a pouch typically used to carry its young. Normal Kangaskhan were almost never seen without their young in this pouch, so it disturbed the Rogue somewhat to find this Kangaskhan's pouch empty.

"All right, babe, give us a Bite!" Verdus called out, and Kangaskhan roared her compliance, charging in and baring her fangs at Alakazam.

"No!" Julius bellowed, "Alakazam, Psychic!" Alakazam quickly launched the Psychic blast, warping the air around Kangaskhan as it charged. The Parent Pokémon bravely charged through the attack and landed the move, making Alakazam groan in pain from the super-effective hit.

The Rogue could hardly believe what was happening; Verdus, the only criminal to escape from him (not once, but twice), was actually helping him! Whether he wanted to thank him or punch him in his patronizing face, the detective wasn't sure, but these feelings were set aside as he ordered his Golbat to knock Machamp back with a Wing Attack.

"Damn you, foolish cop!" Caligula growled, "All right, you disgusting parasite, attack with Bind!" Despite the slur, Pinsir attacked, aiming its opened pincers at Golbat.

"Poliwhirl, jump in!" Dontae countered, and the Tadpole Pokémon did just that, pushing Golbat out of the way and bearing Pinsir's squeezing onslaught. Poliwhirl then jumped and flopped down on the ground with Pinsir underneath it, its Body Slam dealing heavy damage.

"Grr! Filthy insect!" Caligula shouted, "Body Slam it back!" Pinsir returned the gesture by hefting its weight onto Poliwhirl, returning the damage it suffered.

"Help it, Machamp!" Caesar added, "Cross Chop!" Machamp crossed both pairs of arms and ran toward the assaulted Poliwhirl bellowing a victory cry.

"Kangaskhan, dole out a Dizzy Punch, baby!" Verdus shouted just in time; Kangaskhan took a powerful leap, twisted its right arm fast in the air and slammed it into Machamp's face for all she was worth. Dazed and Confused, not only did Machamp's move miss, but its addled state made it trip over a rock and fall flat on its face, damaging itself.

The Rogue seized the chance, "Golbat, Air Cutter!" Golbat screeched its compliance and swept the air with its wings, peppering all three villainous Pokémon with lethal blades of air.

"Alakazam, Shadow Ball!" Julius retaliated, and Alakazam leaped out of the way of the Air Cutter raid in order to conjure a thick, murky ball of pure darkness between its spoons. It balanced the ball on one spoon and whacked it with the other, sending it flying into Golbat and knocking it out of the sky.

Caligula added to the assault, "Now, horned scourge! Rock Tomb!" Pinsir grunted and stomped on the ground, as if to release the rocks that soon fell from the sky out of nowhere, directly above Golbat.

The Bat Pokémon pushed off the ground and attempted to escape, but Caesar made another command, "Machamp, DynamicPunch!" Machamp's upper right fist glowed and was aimed right for Golbat. Surrounded by Alakazam's strike-raiding Shadow Balls, Pinsir's Rock Tomb from the sky, and Machamp's oncoming DynamicPunch, Golbat had no place to escape to, and was fully prepared to take the assault, even if it meant being beaten to a bloody pulp.

That's when the wingbeats came back . . .

Diving to the side instinctively, the Rogue knocked Verdus to the ground just as the crazed Scyther returned for another fiery attack, "Scythaaaaa!" Scyther charged into the fray, Slashed apart the falling rocks, and sliced into Machamp with a powerful Fury Cutter in the same swift motion. Machamp's aim was thrown, and Golbat barely escaped its attack.

The Rogue righted himself into a crouch, glanced down at Verdus, and growled with contempt, "This changes nothing."

Verdus got up as well, and grinned, "Aw, I knew you were a softy after all, Copper!" He then reached out to shake his hand, but found his movements restricted. The Rogue had bound him with a pair of handcuffs while he wasn't looking. Verdus grinned and snickered, "Aw, you! I guess I was wrong!"

The Rogue heaved the thief roughly to his feet and shoved him toward the defending squad of Fuchsia PD cops, "Keep this one close by, and take him into custody once we handle Team Rocket! And make sure you find that Golbat of his, or he'll fly off on it!"

One of the young officers was about to answer, but the Rogue had to dodge another Fury Cutter from Scyther. Just as he was about to dodge again though, the mad Bug-type swiped at Julius' Alakazam with the same move. The first time, the Psi Pokémon dodged, and Scyther accidentally sliced through the silo construct on the Rocket's tank. The second time, though, Alakazam was hit hard.

Julius and Caesar were obviously fearful of the presence of the vicious Scyther, and meekly went on the defensive:

"Alakazam, Recover?"

"Machamp, Bulk Up?"

Alakazam instantly recuperated, while Machamp's muscles surged and swelled, adding to its physique, and its Attack and Defense stats. Scyther, though, was not intimidated; the raging Mantis Pokémon cut down Alakazam instantly with another, even stronger Fury Cutter, slicing another, deeper groove into the silo at the same time. When Machamp witnessed this, it tried to run, only to be chased by Scyther's impressive speed and cut down instantly by an even stronger Fury Cutter.

Caligula was not satisfied by this performance, "You idiots! That foul bug of mine could do better! Use Submission!" Pinsir steadied its gaze and flung itself at Scyther, spinning in midair and attempting to grab Scyther. The green Bug-type was quicker, though, and sliced into Pinsir with its ever-building Fury Cutter's power. Pinsir was thrown to the ground, too slow to dodge Scyther's oncoming Wing Attack and getting knocked unconscious.

This made Agent 66 even angrier, "AAAAARGH! You disgust me, you sad, pitiful urchin! Never mind you! I'll kill that thing myself! I'll kill them all!" Caligula then jumped into a small cockpit on top of the tank's cannon, manipulating it and aiming right at the exhausted Scyther.

The Rogue gasped, shocked at Caligula's audacity, "NOOOOOO!" Too late. The cannon went off with an intense BAAAAAANG! Scyther was taken by surprise and blasted harshly by an oncoming cannonball, flying into a nearby tree and collapsing, near death. Caligula merely adjusted the cannon's aim and readied the cannon once again, fully prepared to finish the job.

The Rogue saw the bloodlust in Caligula's eyes and thought quickly, trying to come up with a way to save this Pokémon from certain doom. It may have been psychotic and determined to slash anything and everything to pieces, but this was not a worthy fate for any Pokémon. With no time left to react, the Rogue acted just as the second cannon blast shot forth; he pulled an empty PokéBall from his duster and ran toward Scyther, throwing it and capturing Scyther in a blaze of white light. The Ball flew back to the Rogue's hand just as the cannonball crashed through the tree, knocking the Rogue backwards by the force of the blast alone. The Rogue looked down and saw that the PokéBall remained unharmed, but it still shook violently, as if Scyther was struggling to get out, even in its horribly injured state.

Caligula's breaking point was finally achieved, "NOOOOOOOO! I will not lose to you again, detective, do you hear me!? I WILL NEVER LOSE TO YOU AGAIN!" Caligula leaped out of the cockpit, jumped down beside his weakened Pinsir, and began kicking it with his heavy boots repeatedly. Pinsir grunted and groaned with each strike, but the sinister Rocket agent was unrelenting; Pinsir's exoskeleton was cracking from the repetitive blows.

The Rogue saw what would happen if this continued, "Caligula, stop! Don't do that to Pinsir, or it'll—"

"What?!" Caligula roared, "Die?! I care nothing for this sickening sack of entrails! Pokémon are useless to me unless they win! Worthless . . . pathetic . . . miserable . . . excuse for a Pokémon!" These last words were accentuated by more furious kicking.

"No!" the Rogue tried to warn him, "Not that! If you don't stop, Pinsir will—"

"I DON'T CARE!"

But it was too late. Pinsir, fed up with being mistreated, swerved its horned head at Caligula, but the Rocket agent dodged just in time, and Pinsir's horns slashed through the silo, just as Scyther's claws had. This was the final straw; the silo then began to collapse, toppling over to the side, directly above Agent 66. Pokémon surrounding the area saw the falling structure and ran for their lives, even the injured Pinsir. Caligula screamed with rage at the sky, obsessed with his failure and inadequacy, and did not hear the screeching of bending and warping metal. He only saw the falling silo a second too late.

"CALIGULA, LOOK OUT!"

CRAAAASH!

Less than an hour later, Fuchsia PD officers were apprehending Julius and Caesar, prepping them for their third trip to prison. All Pokémon captured or injured by the Rocket agents were being treated, with the exception of the Rogue and Dontae's Pokémon, who only needed treatment at a Pokémon Center (and Verdus' Pokémon, which would only be treated after his incarceration). The Rogue, Dontae and Stacy were all assisting the police in helping their injured Growlithe recover from the massive battle.

Military personnel had been dispatched to clean up the pieces of the abandoned Rocket tank and capture silo, but upon removal of the silo and evacuation of all captured Pokémon, there was no trace of Caligula's body. Even though speculation was high that Agent 66 escaped, the witnesses of the events could not deny what happened to Caligula, and thus, no manhunt was issued for the Rocket agent.

The Rogue took this opportunity to approach Verdus before Fuchsia PD led him and his captured Golbat away to maximum security prison. They had found the Safari Zone warden's stolen property in his possession, and promptly returned it to the old gentleman. The thief was smirking at his captors when he saw the detective coming and smiled, "Well, you finally got me, Copper. Who would've thought you'd had it in you?"

"Save it, slime," the Rogue snapped, "You're being charged with every count of theft the law recognizes a hundred times over—"

"Except for Pokémon theft, of course—"

"And," the Rogue ignored him, "because of those pretty little love notes you leave at every scene, there's a nice, healthy amount of evidence linking you to every single one. You're looking at, at least, a life sentence. But don't hope for it."

Verdus scoffed and rolled his eyes, "God! You know, there is such a thing as a sore winner, you know?"

The Rogue grimaced at the thief's insistent gall, and ordered the police roughly, "Get them out of here!"

The police seized Verdus and his Golbat and led them toward the Safari Zone entrance, just before Verdus sighed with mock defeat, "Okay, Copper, you saved my life, so this time, it's not on your hands, deal?"

The Rogue was about to question what he meant, until Verdus suddenly tossed him something. The Rogue caught it, took a look at it, and could feel the color drain from his face: it was a broken pair of handcuffs.

Tripping one cop and elbowing another, Verdus commanded his Golbat to do the same, "Come on! You didn't honestly think I couldn't break out of those cuffs?" Finally, before the Rogue could react, Verdus deployed his Kangaskhan once again and commanded, "Hyper Beam!" In a flash of light, Kangaskhan appeared and roared as a white hot energy formed in its mouth. Instead of fighting, the Rogue ducked, as did Dontae, Stacy, Charmander, and the Rogue's Golbat, as Kangaskhan unleashed a blazing beam of white energy across the plain. Those who weren't dazed by the fall were blinded by the intense, hot white light of the beam. Either way, no one had a second to react while Verdus returned Kangaskhan, grabbed onto his flying Golbat's leg, and took off toward the horizon just as the sun began to rise. His excited, amusement park laugh pierced the air in the early dawn.

The Rogue got up and dusted himself off before staring at the broken cuffs, watching them fall completely to pieces in his limp grasp. He had done it again. Verdus had escaped for the third time. He wasn't in the Rogue's custody, specifically, but he was still to blame. Once again, the scoundrel was free to rob innocent people blind, and the Rogue's every trick to stop him wasn't enough.

Dontae and Stacy had joined him by this time. "Damn, he's getting away!" Dontae lamented, "We gotta stop him! Can't you fly after him on your own Golbat?!"

The Rogue almost considered it, feeling his inadequate fury swell up in him again. However, something stopped him from giving chase, something he'd not considered before until just witnessing what might happen if he let his anger control him. What stopped him was the image of Caligula's face just before the Rocket's capture silo crushed him. The face that seemed to portray a man who realized at the last possible split-second that his anger blinded him, and that was what led to his downfall.

"Let him go," the Rogue relented. These words were hard to say, and left an awful taste in his mouth, but he knew it was for the greater good.

"Seriously?!" Dontae replied, stunned, "The guy just slipped away again! You don't honestly expect me to believe that—" he stopped when he felt Stacy's hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see her pleading eyes as she shook her head.

Stacy then approached the Rogue and placed a hand on his back, "You're doing the right thing, Detective. We have bigger problems right now."

Golbat chirped and draped a wing around its exhausted partner's shoulders. It seemed to agree with Stacy, and thought that the case at hand was far more important.

The Rogue nodded, gestured for the group to follow, and walked to where he had left his motorcycle. He looked forward to a few hours of well-earned rest before his impending battle at the Fuchsia Gym.


	21. 21 - Crouching Muk, Hidden Charizard

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#21: Crouching Muk, Hidden Charizard

Daylight showed through the windows of the Pokémon Center as the Rogue, Dontae and Stacy readied to leave. The group could do very little to assist the Rogue's newly captured Scyther; the Mantis Pokémon had been grievously injured, and spent the night in intensive care. This, however, was obviously a bad idea; aside from Scyther's miraculously fast recovery, the Rogue had seen the damage the Bug-type had done to the intensive care room of the center, and was made aware of the costs it would take to repair everything.

The Rogue sighed as he placed Scyther's now-inhabited PokéBall into his duster. Dontae and Charmander had approached by this time, and the young Trainer warned him, "Well, I think we've all learned recently that your new friend there is highly dangerous. It would probably be a wise idea not to use the cuddly little fellow all that often."

"He's right, Detective," Stacy added just as they left the building, "That Scyther tried to kill us. If we let it out of its PokéBall, who knows what kind of damage it could do?"

The Rogue merely responded with a nod, trying to stay calm and focused on the impending Gym battle. The Fuchsia City Gym was only three buildings away from the Pokémon Center, so the calm walk made it easier. Being a Poison-type specialist, Janine would surely have trouble defeating a type-advantageous Ground-type, like Sandslash, and Golbat, being a Poison-type itself, would be resistant to its own type. Whichever other Pokémon would be most effective, the Rogue was not sure, but he did know that simply keeping his new Scyther bound would not improve its vicious tendencies.

The group made it quickly to the Gym, and walked in without a second to waste. They all paused, however, at the strange plainness of the Gym. It had simple wood-paneled walls, simple brown tiled floors, and the Gym Leader herself, a young woman with tied-up purple hair dressed in black ninja garb, stood in the middle of the Gym, palms pressed together and eyes closed in meditation.

Dontae shrugged, "Well, this is gonna be cake! I'll be happy to take her once you're done, Rogue!" He then proceeded to walk toward Janine, a promiscuous spring in his step.

"Stop!" the Rogue ordered suddenly, and Dontae froze mid-step. The Rogue walked past him, stuck out the knuckle of his right index finger, and struck it against the air. It made a strange _dong-dong-dong_ sound with each tap.

Stacy approached next, and stuck out her palms, flattening them against what appeared to be a streak-free glass wall. "Wow," she muttered, feeling the wall up and down, left and right, "you can't even see it. This must be another Gym puzzle, huh?"

"How did you know that was there?" Dontae barked indignantly.

The Rogue's answer was simple, "Because I was looking for it."

Charmander walked up to the wall next, tapped it just as the Rogue had, then suddenly bared its claws for a Slash attack. It was pulled away by Golbat just in time, leaving no damage done to the wall.

Dontae seemed to panic at Charmander's actions, "Yeah, let's not try that, buddy. We're already in deep with the Pokémon Center for the damage Scyther caused."

The Rogue studied the invisible wall carefully, from top to bottom, and after a few moments, he had the answer, "See the gaps between the tiles? They're wider in certain areas than others. That's where the walls are placed. Let's go." He quickly began walking to the right, and the rest of the group followed. The Rogue turned to the left when he reached the wall, and the group followed. All the while, the Rogue took quick glances at the floor to keep track of where the walls were situated. The Rogue quickly turned left again when reaching the back wall, and the group followed, Dontae groaning most of the way. The Rogue then quickly stopped just before reaching the left wall, and studied the area carefully, trying to locate the gap between the walls.

After a few seconds, Dontae hollered impatiently, "Will you hurry up, Private Eyeball?" The Rogue ignored him.

Finally spotting the way in, the Rogue turned left again, and the group was facing the entrance to the Gym. Not halfway back toward the exit, the Rogue turned left again, and at last, found himself face-to-face with the young Gym Leader.

"Hello, Janine," he greeted her calmly, "Nice to see you again. I'm on an important case that requires your badge. If you'd be so kind as to accept my challenge, I'd be most grateful."

Janine opened her eyes and turned toward the Rogue, her features unmoving. "If you insist, Detective," she responded, her voice icily ominous, "but first, Gym procedure dictates that you must solve one last puzzle."

Suddenly, the lights of the Gym went out, and the room went completely pitch-black, save for the little light offered by Charmander's tail. The tiny Fire-type suddenly yelped at the sudden darkness, "Chaaaar!", and its distress was followed by another yelp and a thud on the floor. When the lights returned, Janine was suddenly accompanied by four other girls, each of them dressed and positioned exactly identical to Janine, as if they had split from her body and taken her form. Dontae was on the floor, complaining about Charmander having knocked him down when the lights were out.

"Your task now . . ." said the first Janine look-alike in line.

". . . is to determine . . ." the second Janine continued.

". . . which of us . . ." Janine number three picked up from there.

". . . is the true Gym Leader!" the fourth Janine finished.

"Can you do it?" the fifth Janine added quickly, and all five smiled confidently. They all sounded virtually the same.

The Rogue sized up the challenge and scrutinized each girl carefully, taking in the most miniscule details and applying them to this game of 'Which One Doesn't Belong'. The Rogue spotted the first difference immediately, and pointed to the Janine clone on the far right, "Your vocal pitch is a touch too high. You are not the real Janine." The girl nodded and stepped back one pace, leaving four girls in line.

The Rogue carefully eyed the second Janine from the left, and established, "Your eyes are a shade of dark blue. Janine's eyes are violet. You are not the real Janine." The girl blinked several times in realization, then stepped back, the girl on her right sidestepping to close the gap in the line.

The Rogue continued, glancing back and forth between the three remaining girls. After a few more seconds, the Rogue pointed to the girl in the middle and said, "You are not the real Janine, as you are one cup size too small. Dontae, shut up!" Behind him, Dontae's mouth was open to make a suggestive comment, but at the Rogue's insistence, he closed it, scowling.

The girl crossed her arms and gave a quiet, though dejected scoff, and stepped backward, leaving only two girls remaining. These two were the most alike out of the group, so looks were hardly different between them, if at all. Both stood staunchly still, staring straight forward with a hard gaze. The Rogue began pacing in front of them, back and forth, surveying them both carefully, his gaze equally steady. He slowed his pace, knowing he was getting closer to finding the truth. His stare fell on one girl for a few moments, then the other, for slightly longer. Back and forth, his determined eyes lasting longer and longer with each pass. Neither girl even flinched.

But the eyes of the girl on the left twitched for a split-second to glance at her mirror image.

"Aha," the Rogue said calmly, pointing at the girl, "You are not the real Janine."

The glancing girl sighed and looked down, disappointed in her own failure, and stepped back with the others. The last girl smiled, "Impressive, Detective. Your observation skills are top-notch. Shall we battle now?"

The Rogue nodded and took an appropriate position on the battlefield, careful not to run into the invisible walls. Janine swiftly made her way opposite the Rogue, produced a PokéBall, and threw it, "Grimer, attack!" With a flash and a PANG, Grimer appeared, burbling and waving its slimy appendages at the Rogue.

The Rogue silently pulled a PokéBall from his duster, enlarged it, and opened it. In another flash of light, his combatant took the field . . .

Scyther.

Dontae, Stacy, Charmander, and even Golbat stared in shocked disbelief. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Dontae began, "THAT SCYTHER IS A KILLER! PUT IT BACK!"

"Relax!" the Rogue loudly replied, "Keeping Scyther caged will only make its temper worse. Battling with it is the only way to curb its need for violence. Battles form bonds, Pokémon Training 101."

Scyther did not share in the Rogue's enthusiasm; it slashed the air and screamed out menacingly, "Scythaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Scyther!" the Rogue called out to the deadly Bug-type, "Please control yourself! You are under my command, and we are in a battle now! Relax and focus on your opponent!"

Janine raised a skeptical eyebrow, "Your Scyther could stand to be trained properly, Detective. Grimer, Acid Armor!" Grimer burbled and began faintly glowing. Only its eyes and a faint outline and translucent purple silhouette remained; Grimer's Acid Armor raised its Defense sharply.

Without being commanded, Scyther took this gesture as a challenge, and raced in on its swift wings, Slashing Grimer hard and causing critical damage.

Janine was surprised by Scyther's speed, and switched to the offensive, "Now, use Sludge!" Grimer obeyed and shook a slimy arm at Scyther. The Mantis Pokémon's reflexes were quicker, and it began using Double Team, splitting into two lightning-fast images before the Sludge landed. The filthy attack passed through the ersatz Scyther before the Bug-type swiped at Grimer with a Fury Cutter.

The Rogue was impressed by Scyther's independence, but maintained his calm. Scyther was still a loose cannon, and could go off at any moment. Still, even another Acid Armor defense was no match for Scyther's strength, and another, even stronger Fury Cutter knocked it unconscious.

Scyther swiped at the air menacingly as Janine returned her Pokémon. "Hmm," the young ninja contemplated, "This is an interesting bout. A Scyther that wins without taking orders." Janine returned Scyther's dagger-stare as she deployed her next Pokémon in a flash of light, "But that doesn't mean I will be intimidated. Venonat, attack!"

Replacing Grimer was a small, insect-like Pokémon covered in bluish-purple fuzz and sporting two enormous, red compound eyes. Its tiny pincers snapped, its long white antennae twitched, and it squeaked in a high-pitched voice, "Veno-nat! Veno-nat!"

Scyther seemed to revel at the presence of a new opponent, and rushed in without taking orders. Another Fury Cutter sent Venonat flying, the move gaining power with each successive strike.

Janine worked as quickly as possible to counter, "Venonat, Sleep Powder!"

"Veno-nat!" Venonat cheerily obeyed, and shook its fur, sending a glittering cloud of blue dust at Scyther. It didn't help; Scyther's clones still surrounded the field, and Scyther remained awake while landing another ferocious Fury Cutter.

Janine exhaled in exhaustion as well as frustration, "Venonat, Psychic!" Venonat launched the psychokinetic attack, warping the air around the true Scyther and finally striking it. The raging Mantis Pokémon shook off the blow and struck with another Fury Cutter, knocking Venonat out.

Janine returned Venonat in a flash of laser light, then stared angrily at Scyther, "What kind of creature is this? The beast fights with all strength and no heart . . . . no. No, I will not be shaken. Even in the face of defeat, I will fight!"

Janine took her next PokéBall and threw it, and in a flash, an Arbok appeared, displaying its frightening hood-markings and hissing, "Chaaaaaaaa-bokaaaaa!" Scyther quickly took the challenge once again, and swept in for another Fury Cutter. Arbok was struck hard, but not as hard as it should have been, the Cobra Pokémon's Intimidate ability was working to lower Scyther's strength.

"Now, Arbok!" Janine called triumphantly, "Use Glare—"

But Scyther was too fast. It missed Arbok's attack and landed the final blow with another Fury Cutter, its strongest yet. Arbok flew across the battlefield and collided harshly with the invisible wall behind Janine, moaning in pain.

But Scyther was not done. It flew across the battlefield and jumped onto Arbok's back, digging its toe-claws into its hood, making the Poison-type bawl in agony. Drawing back its bladed arm, it aimed right for Arbok's head, determined to finish the job.

Until it vanished.

Scyther was returned to its Ball in a flash of laser light. The Rogue stuffed the Ball back into his duster and sighed. "Forgive me, Janine," he lamented, "Apparently Scyther is much more than even I can handle. If I had known this would happen, I never would've used it against you."

Janine seemed highly put off by the sight of her Pokémon almost getting killed, but her discipline seemed stronger. She returned her Arbok and replied, "No, Detective, you've won. Your Scyther may need training, but it defeated me." She then pulled an object from her sash and held it out to the Rogue, "Here is the Soul Badge. Take it."

The Rogue almost refused to take the Badge, realizing his Scyther's immense power gave him an unfair advantage in this battle; this conflicted with his desperate need for the Badge, as he had already spent one-third of his given time gathering Badges, and wanted to stay ahead of schedule. Not wanting to let his Trainer instincts disrupt his case, the Rogue walked up to Janine, and reached out to take the Badge.

Suddenly, he stopped. Movement.

Movement in the rafters of the Gym above them. The Rogue froze, listening deeply for it, steadying his nerves and letting his reflexes bide their time. It was close, almost trying by itself to be silent, but not quite achieving it. Soft footfalls, creaking wood, the rush of air; it was quick and hard to pinpoint, but it was there. A few seconds longer, and Dontae interrupted the quiet with, "Well, aren't you gonna take the damn th—?"

_WOOSH!_ Another ninja, dressed in full black attire and full black mask, landed in the middle of the Gym, seemingly from out of nowhere. The Rogue's reflexes flew, and he blocked the attacker's kick with his arm. The attacker chopped down, and the Rogue jumped to the side. Another kick, another jumping dodge; another chop, another block. The assailant was quick, and the Rogue could hardly keep up.

The group showed instant worry; Stacy called out frantically, "Rogue!"

Dontae turned roughly to Janine, "Hey, Dragon Warrior! Curb your Foot Soldiers, will ya?!"

Janine was just as surprised as they were, "Don't look at me! It's not one of mine!"

The Rogue continued to evade the assailant's attacks, jumping away from punches, ducking kicks, and blocking whenever possible. Finally, the Rogue blocked a particularly strong kick by crossing both arms. Both sides kept up these positions in a power struggle for a second, neither side giving in. The Rogue was nearly pushed back fully by the attacker, and almost gave in when the ninja's voice startled him, "Your technique remains strong, Ryoguchi-san, but your timing has slowed over time."

The ninja leaped back and stood at attention, and the Rogue finally recognized who he was, "Master Koga?"

Janine seemed to understand at about the same time, "Father?"

The ninja reached up to pull his mask off, and his face was revealed; his features were sharpened, with fierce black eyes that stayed still and deadly at the same time. Age had creased his face and whitened his teal hair at the sides, but this was definitely the visage of the ninja master, Koga.

"Father!" Janine said excitedly as she ran to him. She stopped first, though, and respectfully bowed. When Koga returned the bow, Janine hugged her father, and he affectionately returned the gesture. "This is a pleasant surprise!" Janine continued, "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be helping to prepare for the Indigo League Tournament?"

Koga smiled warmly, "Should a father need a reason for visiting his daughter? I heard tell of a challenger gathering Badges late, so I came to help you prepare, but when I learned it was Ryoguchi-san, I had to test him to see if he remembered his training."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Dontae interrupted again, "Let me get this straight! The Rogue trained under you? Why didn't he mention he was a ninja?!"

The Rogue scoffed, "Because I'm not. When I was a kid, before I met Zubat, I trained in martial arts under Koga to defend myself. I only stayed long enough to get the basics down, and I don't fight unless my life is truly at stake. I'm a problem-solver, not a fighter."

Koga nodded, "Ryoguchi-san was a brilliant student. He learned many advanced techniques in a short time. We asked him to stay and train at the Gym, but he respectfully declined to be an investigator full-time. Although we were sad to see him leave, we honored his decision.

"Oh!" Stacy realized, "That's how you were able to dodge Scyther's attacks back at the Safari Zone!"

Dontae scoffed, "Does that explain how you got your ass handed to you by that Biker guy's Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan?"

The Rogue turned and glared at him, "Shut up."

Koga smiled and took the SoulBadge from Janine's hand. "I am proud of you, daughter," he told her calmly, "but as an official Pokémon League Master, I must impose myself upon this battle. Let me test Ryoguchi-san's worth in combat, and if he can defeat me as well as you, then I shall award him the Badge."

Janine appeared disheartened at first, but the idea of seeing her father fight a fellow student seemed to excite her. "As you wish, Father," she replied respectfully, adding a bow to it.

The Rogue sighed, spotting another complication, "With all due respect, Master Koga, I am on a tight schedule, and time is of the essence."

Koga's smile remained, "I know you, Ryoguchi-san, and I know you cannot be at all satisfied with that battle. Besides, if you are truly skilled, it should be just as simple for you to defeat me, as well."

The Rogue knew Koga was right; he felt he had won his battle against Janine unfairly, and deep down, he truly did want a fair fight. In any case, he knew Koga was resolute, and he wouldn't truly earn his Badge unless he could defeat Koga first. The Rogue looked at his old master and nodded, "Fine. You're on."

"Excellent!" Koga cheered, and he swiftly took one end of the Gym for his own, "But don't expect to win this battle with just your Scyther. I will be far more difficult to beat."

"After what just happened, Master Koga," the Rogue replied as he took the other side, "I won't be using Scyther this time." _Or any other time,_ he thought to himself as he chose his first Pokémon.

Koga presented his first Ball and threw, "Golbat, _batsu_!" With a flash of white, a Golbat hovered over the battlefield. It was nearly identical to the Rogue's Golbat, except this creature sported multiple nicks on the edges of its wings, a testament to its age, and its many battles.

The Rogue stopped himself from taking a PokéBall, glanced around, and found his Golbat resting comfortably a few feet away, its eyes glued to the opposing Golbat. The Rogue whistled, and Golbat was on the field in an instant, hovering at the same height as its counterpart and hissing at it.

"Hmm, interesting choice," Koga replied, "But let's see how you handle it. "Golbat, Screech!" Koga's Golbat opened its large mouth and let loose an ear-shattering scream. The Rogue, Dontae, Stacy, Charmander, the Rogue's Golbat, and even Janine and her imitators fell to their knees, covering their ears.

The Rogue stood quickly, knowing his Golbat was that much weaker now. "Golbat, Confuse Ray!" he countered.

Koga announced the same command at nearly the same time, "Golbat, Confuse Ray!"

Both Golbat launched their Confusing beams at one another from their eyes, knocking each other out of the air. Each one stumbled around, trying their best to see each other in order to fight.

Koga made the next move, "Now, then, use Poison Fang!" The Gym Leader's Golbat took off and bared its fangs, which suddenly glowed purple and sizzled with corrosive heat. The attack landed, but the Rogue's Golbat was hardly hurt by it, even as its wing was caught in its opponent's vice-like jaws.

"Golbat, use Wing Attack!" the Rogue ordered, but Golbat couldn't listen; it stumbled and fell forward, hurting itself in its Confusion.

Koga took the advantage, "Follow up with Aerial Ace!" Koga's Pokémon took off, reaching the ceiling of the Gym in little time, performing a perfect loop-de-loop in the air and swooping down on the Rogue's Golbat, slamming into it hard as it attempted to get up.

The Rogue stayed calm and went for a defensive-offensive maneuver, "Golbat, use Bite!" It obeyed, and flew forward, opening its jaws. The Rogue hoped it would make the foe Flinch, but instead, Golbat's fangs suddenly glowed purple and began to sizzle. When the attack struck, the Rogue learned that, just as Koga's Golbat had, it used Poison Fang.

With no Flinch to worry about, Koga's Golbat took its next command quickly, "Now, use another Aerial Ace!" Golbat flew in, but before it could stay aloft, it tripped and fell forward, damaging itself.

"Yes!" the Rogue celebrated, and took back the offensive, "Golbat, Air Cutter!" Golbat swept its wings, and launched a series of air-blades at its Gym counterpart. The Air Cutter struck hard with a Critical blow, and Koga's Golbat flew far.

The Rogue quickly pulled the finisher, "Wing Attack!" Golbat swooped down, dive-bombing the opposing Golbat and bashing it with its wings. Koga's Golbat was knocked back again, but this time, when it landed, it didn't get up.

Koga returned his Golbat and smiled again, "Impressive, Ryoguchi-san. But the battle has just begun!" He then switched Golbat's PokéBall for a new one, "Weezing, _batsu_!" In another flash, a Weezing took over, looking and smelling more hideous than any Weezing the Rogue had seen used by the Kanto Biker Underground.

"Golbat, substitution!" the Rogue called, "Save your strength!" Golbat turned and nodded to its partner, and flew off the battlefield, landing gently beside the Detective. The Rogue produced a PokéBall and opened it; in a flash, Raichu faced her opponent, sparking her cheeks and readying for battle.

"Yay!" Stacy suddenly cheered, "Go, Raichu! You can do it!"

Raichu turned toward Stacy and waved excitedly, adding more sparks to her cheeks, "Rai! Raichu!"

Koga started quickly, "Weezing, Smokescreen!"

Weezing then began hacking and vomiting, and black murky smoke came out of its mouth, filling the Gym and blocking the vision of all observers.

The Rogue muzzled himself with his shirt collar and commanded, "Raichu, use Mega Punch!"

"Rai!" Raichu answered, and raced into the black smoke, searching for Weezing all over. She turned several times, charged up the white, shining power in her fist, and launched the punch. Weezing had just narrowly missed the attack.

"Weezing, Sludge!" Koga ordered. Weezing then began to grunt and strain, and several of its hideous pores began excreting an ugly, foul-smelling substance that flew toward Raichu.

The Rogue countered quickly, "Double Team!" Raichu took the order and used her blinding speed to create a double of herself. The Sludge struck the wrong Raichu, and both combatants remained unharmed.

"Raichu, Slam!" the Rogue ordered. Raichu leaped into the air, executed a perfect spinning somersault, and elegantly brandished her whiplike tail through the air. Weezing dove back into the smoke just as the attack would have hit, and Slam missed.

Koga countered again, "Weezing, another Sludge!" Weezing strained and pushed another stream of filth at Raichu. Raichu dodged just in time, letting its clone take the attack.

The Rogue knew that much headway was being lost, and switched his strategy, "Use Thunder!"

Raichu obeyed, and began charging power as a thunderclap sounded off outside the Gym, rattling it to its very foundation. "Raaaaaaaaiiiiii . . . . . CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!" The blistering bolt of lightning surged through the Gym, illuminating the murky smoke for a split-second before striking Weezing.

"Weezing, Endure!" Koga commanded, and Weezing began to glow red just as the lightning struck it. Weezing coughed and sputtered as the electricity damaged it, but after the attack ended, Weezing lasted, still hovering in place and battle-ready.

The Rogue was impressed with Weezing's defense thus far, but he knew that defense was one thing Koga did not fall back on exclusively. Hurriedly, he finished the round, "Raichu, Slam it once more!"

"Chu! Raichu-raichu!" the Mouse Pokémon replied, and performed another elegant spin in midair, whipping her tail down onto Weezing.

Just after Koga made his last command, "Destiny Bond!"

Weezing suddenly began to glow white all over, the glow slowly widening into a perfect circle surrounding it. Raichu's attack bore down on Weezing, and the Poison Gas Pokémon was defeated instantly. However, just as Raichu landed, the same white circle surrounded her as well. Suddenly, Raichu froze, horrified for a moment, then, just as the white glow faded, she collapsed, unmoving.

Stacy was the first to question this development as the Rogue returned Raichu, "What? I don't understand. How did Raichu lose, too? She landed the last blow, didn't she?"

Dontae shook his head, "Maybe, but Destiny Bond makes sure both sides get knocked out at the same time. Koga knew only one hit would be needed to finish off Weezing, so he used Destiny Bond just before Raichu's Slam landed. When the user faints, the attacker goes with it."

The Rogue frowned and whispered quietly to Raichu's PokéBall, "I'm sorry, my friend." He then switched Raichu's Ball with another, and with a PANG, Sandslash was on the field. It arrogantly stretched out its limbs in preparation for combat.

Koga returned his fallen Weezing and switched PokéBalls, "You surprise me, Ryoguchi-san. Until I saw this Pokémon, I imagined that was the extent of your power. Saving the type advantage until later was quite clever." He threw his new Ball into the fray, "Venomoth, _batsu_!"

Koga's new Pokémon was large, lavender, and moth-like; surprisingly, this winged creature was the evolved form of Venonat. It sported six small, thin legs, two large eyes, and three pointy crests on its head. It hummed quietly and beat its soft, scaly wings to keep itself aloft.

The Rogue instantly went on the offensive, "Use Slash!"

"Wh-shash!" Sandslash smirked, then ran into battle, baring its lengthened claws.

"Venomoth, Sleep Powder!" Koga commanded, and the Poison Moth Pokémon flapped its wings, using the same move Janine's Venonat had used. This time, though, it hit successfully; Sandslash froze in place as it was pelted with the cloud of blue dust, then fell backwards and landed on its back, curling up into a spiky ball and going straight to sleep.

Koga seized the chance to build his defensive, "Double Team!" Venomoth hummed again and, like Raichu and Scyther before it, created a copy of itself using pure speed.

"Damn!" the Rogue growled, "Sandslash! Wake up, quickly! We're running out of time!" Sandslash just continued snoring from inside its spiky ball, unmoving and unresponsive.

"Again!" Koga commanded, and both Venomoth split again into four. Koga had commanded this once more before Sandslash awoke, making a grand total of eight Venomoth copies on the field, all identical and indiscernible from the original.

The Rogue observed each Venomoth and tried to pick out the differences, but it was no use. Sandslash continued its Slash attack, but uselessly struck the wrong Venomoth.

Koga then finally switched to the offense, "Silver Wind!" Venomoth beat its wings again, only much faster, and Silver Wind lived up to its name; a visible breeze of shining silver struck Sandslash and knocked it backwards, causing heavy damage.

The Rogue needed a strategy, and he knew that if he could come up with one, Sandslash would lose. Finally, he settled for the defensive, as well, "Sandslash, Sand-Attack!"

But Sandslash did not kick up a simple cloud of sand. Sandslash then began to execute a perfect tornado spin, and an enormous dust storm swirled around it, growing wider and encompassing the whole room. The Venomoth clones were suddenly dazed and stricken by the dust devil, unable to find and attack Sandslash in the meantime.

Stacy and Dontae had covered their faces by this time, and Charmander held its flaming tail close to it. "What's going on?!" Stacy yelled out over the noise of the storm, "This is a little much for a Sand-Attack, don't you think?!"

"That's no Sand-Attack!" Dontae, yelled back, "Sandslash just learned Sandstorm! It'll keep damaging all Pokémon in battle except for Ground, Rock, and Steel-types! Now, Venomoth's gonna have trouble hitting it because of its Sand Veil ability!" Dontae was right; Sand Veil increased Sandslash's evasion in the Sandstorm, and only fleeting images of the Ground-type were visible now.

Koga, blocking the sand by replacing his mask, was undeterred, "Venomoth, use Psybeam!" Venomoth aimed and projected the multicolored ray at Sandslash, but the ray missed, and the Sandstorm whittled its strength down even more.

"Now!" the Rogue called, "use Slash!" Sandslash then leaped out from the blinding sand and took the real Venomoth by surprise, Slashing it hard and knocking it out of the sky. Venomoth hit the ground hard, humming in agony not just from the Critical strike, but from further damage due to the Sandstorm.

The Rogue quickly took the battle, "Earthquake!"

Koga countered quickly, "Psybeam!"

Sandslash slammed its claws into the ground, shaking the entire Gym and rattling Venomoth hard. At the same time, Venomoth projected another Psybeam, and it struck Sandslash with equal force. Venomoth, however, had taken enough damage, and its wings beat no more.

The storm had ended by this time, and Dontae celebrated, "Nice! That's three! And we are outta here!"

"Hold it!" the Rogue stopped them, "If I know Koga, he'll have one last surprise for me." He turned to the Gym Leader, "Won't you, Master Koga?"

Koga smiled as he returned his Venomoth, "You couldn't be more right, my friend." He then switched Venomoth's Ball with his last one, enlarged it, and threw, "_Batsu_, Muk!"

In a flash, the formless mass of Muk appeared, burbling menacingly and reaching toward Sandslash, as if to pull it under the slime. This Muk looked far stronger and more formidable than the Muk used by the Kanto Biker Underground, so the Rogue knew to be careful.

Both combatants made their commands simultaneously, "Sandslash, start another Sandstorm!"

"Muk, strike with Toxic!"

Sandslash then struck a dancing pose, then executed another tornado spin, issuing another vicious dust devil from its body. At the same time, Muk's face bulged, its cheeks becoming overinflated. It finally expelled the substance in its mouth, squirting it in a thick stream all over the spinning Sandslash. By the time the Mouse Pokémon stopped, it was completely coated in the dark purple, burning liquid.

It may have looked like a standoff, but the Rogue knew better; Sandstorm only did a set amount of damage each turn, and would end eventually, while Toxic would continue to eat away at Sandslash's health little by little. What was worse, unlike most moves that caused Poison, Toxic added more damage each time the victim suffered, making defeat come that much faster.

Koga gave the next command quickly, "Muk, Acid Armor!" Muk viscously growled and obeyed, conjuring the acidic layer to defend itself. Much like Janine's Grimer had, Koga's Muk was now partially visible, a near-translucent image left behind.

The Rogue worked quickly to inflict as much damage as possible, "Use Earthquake!"

"Whhhhh . . . shashhhh . . ." Sandslash was weak, and exhaling purple Poison clouds, but it pressed on, slamming its claws into the Gym floor and rattling the entire building. Muk was shaken by the move, but the Acid Armor blocked most of the damage.

"Now, Minimize, Muk!" Koga followed up, and Muk suddenly squeezed itself inward, compressing its mass and making itself smaller. It lost roughly ten percent of its mass this way.

"Oh, no!" Dontae figured out Koga's strategy, "Muk is making itself almost invincible! Minimize boosts evasion, and with Acid Armor protecting it, Sandslash will be lucky to damage Muk at all!"

Stacy gasped, "No! Just like with Sabrina! Koga's Pokémon will protect itself until the Poison eats up all of Sandslash's health!"

The Rogue steadied his nerves and tried again, "Earthquake!" Sandslash tried, but it stumbled and fell over hurting itself; the effects of Venomoth's last Psybeam. As it attempted to get up, the Ground-type coughed and hacked, exhaling more purple clouds accompanied by sizzling purple saliva and phlegm.

"Minimize again!" Koga repeated, and the already-shrunken Muk compressed itself again, losing another ten percent of its mass.

The Rogue knew his chances were thinning, and kept up the offensive, "Use Slash!" Sandslash rushed in, swiping at Muk, but missing. Finally, it coughed and spluttered more, and collapsed into a heap, the Poison having eaten away at Sandslash's resolve completely.

The Rogue returned Sandslash just as the Sandstorm ended, and knew this called for a change in strategy. With another whistle, Golbat swept past and took to the battlefield, wings spread and at the ready.

"Hah!" Koga laughed with a combination of confidence and surprise, "Golbat returning to battle? I hope its immunity to Poison makes up for the damage it took from my own Golbat!"

"It will," the Rogue nodded determinedly, "Golbat, Air Cutter!" Golbat was airborne, slashing the air and projecting the slicing air-blades at Muk. All of them struck the ground around it, missing Muk entirely. The Rogue followed up quickly, "Use Wing Attack!" Golbat swooped in, unfurling its wings to maximum length for maximum damage.

That's when Koga acted, "Muk, use Fire Punch!" When Muk obeyed the command, an appendage formed on its body that resembled a hand. The hand curled into a fist, and the fist ignited, covered in orange flames. The fire-laced fist collided with Golbat's Wing Attack, and both Pokémon took damage. While Muk barely felt a thing, though, Golbat took the most damage; the upper half of its right wing was coated in charred, Burned skin.

"You thought I'd be unprepared to combat my weaknesses, Ryoguchi-san?" Koga taunted, "Your mistake will cost you dearly! "Again, Muk!" Muk laced its oblong fist with fire again, and launched the punch.

"Golbat, Confuse Ray!" the Rogue countered. Just before Muk's attack landed, Golbat projected the befuddling light from its eyes. Luckily, it struck Muk, but it made no difference; Golbat was struck even harder by the fiery move, and took even more damage from the Burn. Two harsh battles reduced Golbat's strength to zero, and the loyal Poison-type collapsed, defeated.

"That leaves you with one option, Ryoguchi-san," Koga reminded the Rogue as he walked onto the field to tend to his partner. The Rogue took Golbat by the wing and heaved it over his shoulder, allowing Golbat to lean on him.

"Thank you, old friend," the detective said gently to the injured Bat Pokémon, "You were amazing out there. I'm sorry it had to come to this."

Golbat chattered back, but only so much; it hadn't even the strength to reply properly.

The Rogue brought Golbat to Dontae, and the younger Trainer allowed Golbat to lean on him instead. This left the Rogue with a quick decision to make as he returned to his end of the field, but he made it quickly; taking his last PokéBall, he summoned his last competitor in a flash: Charmeleon.

"Hmmm, now," Koga grinned, "the real battle begins! Muk, Toxic!" Muk filled its cheeks with poisonous grime and sprayed it at Charmeleon.

The Rogue countered quickly, "Flamethrower!" The fire burning it its eyes as well as its throat, Charmeleon cast a determined gaze before blowing a stream of fire at Muk's oncoming Toxic. The flames easily burned through the corrosive liquid and torched Muk, making it bellow in pain.

The Rogue followed up quickly, "Smokescreen!" Charmeleon exhaled, and once again, the field was shrouded in the thick black smoke, this time hiding Charmeleon.

"Keep using Minimize, Muk!" Koga commanded, and Muk shrank itself down to size again; by this time, it was smaller than its pre-evolution, Grimer.

"Back-to-back Flamethrower, Charmeleon!" the Rogue responded. Charmeleon's growling could be heard from deep in the smoke as jets of fire erupted from it. Each jet was a miss, but Muk seemed as though it was beginning to sweat now.

"Time to go on the offensive, Muk!" Koga announced, "Use Toxic again!" Muk tried, but instead of aiming for Charmeleon, it slapped itself in the face with its sloppy hand; Golbat's Confuse Ray was working.

"Now!" the Rogue took advantage, "Metal Claw!"

"CHAAAAAR!" Charmeleon raged as it rushed out of the smoke cloud, baring and lengthening its metal-laced claws. The closer it got to Muk, the faster it ran, as if it had wings. Finally, Charmeleon took a flying leap, and . . .

Began to glow.

Charmeleon's skin became coated in a bright white light, and its form changed rapidly from its evolved state to its current form and back, repeatedly. When the Metal Claw landed, the bright light exploded in a burst of sparkles, and the attacking Pokémon was no longer a Charmeleon.

This new Pokémon was two feet taller than Charmeleon had been, sported the same orange coloring it had as a Charmander, and now had a long neck, long draconic snout, two long horns jutting out the back of its head and—the biggest difference—two large wings with bluish-green membranes sprouting from its back.

All observers were in awe. Stacy was first to comment, "Wow . . . . it evolved . . ."

"_Fully_ evolved," Dontae corrected, equally surprised, "That's Charmander's final form."

The Rogue could hardly believe that this Pokémon, once a tiny little lizard bequeathed to him by his mother, now stood as a strong and proud Charizard.

"Ah, a game changer!" Koga said excitedly, "The final bout is upon us! Muk, Toxic!" Muk once again filled its mouth and sprayed the noxious liquid at Charizard. 

"Charizard, dodge!" the Rogue commanded, and for the first time, Charizard took flight on its grand wings. It flew close to the ceiling of the Gym, dove backwards in a perfect loop-de-loop, and rushed past Muk, slamming it hard with its wing.

Dontae and Stacy cheered from behind the Rogue. "Nice one!" Dontae applauded, "Charizard learned Aerial Ace!"

"Whooo!" Stacy squealed joyously, "Go, Charmel—oops! I mean, go Charizard!"

Koga, knowing that Aerial Ace was unaffected by accuracy or evasion, switched back to the defensive, "Use Acid Armor again!" Muk obeyed, and conjured another near-invisible layer of acid to coat itself.

"Flamethrower!" the Rogue answered, and Charizard let loose a sizzling blast of fire from the air, striking Muk and making it moan in pain.

"No!" Koga fretted, "Your Charizard's strength is overpowering!"

The Rogue smiled, and demonstrated it even further, "Metal Claw!" Charizard flexed its claws, making them longer, sharper, and more full of metallic luster than ever before (not just because of Charizard's added power, but because the Metal Claw it executed mid-evolution had increased its attack power). Charizard's powerful Steel-type move bore down on Muk, and the Sludge Pokémon groaned, fell backwards, and oozed back to normal size, spreading wide and covering the Gym floor, unconscious.

Dontae cheered and hooted, "Yes! In your face, Naruto!"

Stacy cheered alongside him, and Charmander blew flames in celebration, seeming to be displaying its pride in being a Fire-type, "CHAAAARRR!" Golbat, still weak from battle, merely smiled and nodded, seeming to have known all along its human partner could win.

The Rogue stepped out toward his newly-evolved Pokémon, "You were magnificent, Charizard. I'm very proud of you."

Charizard released an epic roar of triumph and grinned at its Trainer, its eyes showing gratitude, perhaps for that day, weeks ago, that the Rogue adopted the Fire-type after proclaiming not to want anything to do with it.

Koga returned his Muk and approached the two, ""Excellent, Ryoguchi-san. You may no longer be ninja material, but your battle instinct is sharper than ever. This was an honorable battle." He then bowed respectfully to his ex-student, and Janine and the other female ninjas followed suit, showing respect to their better.

Janine then approached next, "Well done, Detective. You've defeated my father, so it's no wonder you're so strong. You've definitely won."

Koga nodded, and with another respectful bow, presented the Rogue with the fuchsia-colored, heart-shaped SoulBadge.

The Rogue took the Badge and pinned it to the inside of his wallet, right next to the MarshBadge. This put the detective one step closer to entering the Indigo League and stopping Kaine. But he had used up enough time already, and he just hoped he would make it in time. So many lives depended on him, and he could not let them down. He would not let them down.


	22. 22 - The Secret of Seafoam

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#22: The Secret of Seafoam

Now equipped with six out of the eight necessary Badges for the Pokémon League, the Rogue now accompanied Dontae, Stacy, Golbat and Charmander on a ship that left Fuchsia City, bound for the Seafoam Islands. The next place that the Rogue needed to obtain a Badge from was Cinnabar Island, and reaching these far-south islands was necessary to get to the newly rebuilt Gym. When the ship would stop at the Seafoam Islands to refuel and resupply, it would continue its journey to Cinnabar; this was the plan that the group had laid out, even though each leg of the voyage would take three days to reach (Fuchsia to Seafoam to Cinnabar to Pallet Town). There were very few options left for the group; it would cut their schedule down to the bare minimum, but any time remaining when they got to the Plateau was a blessing, however short a time it would be.

Dontae was lying on a lounge chair, wearing sunglasses and a bathing suit and holding a large sun reflector. Charmander was curled up on the deck next to him, soundly asleep. Stacy was watching as the Rogue's Pokémon (sans Scyther, for obvious reasons) were training at the bow of the ship. On the deck, Sandslash and Jolteon were dashing back and forth, dodging each others' attacks. Far above the ship, Golbat was zooming through the sky, helping to train the Rogue's newly-evolved Charizard, which was demonstrating its power and speed to be equal to Golbat's, maybe even stronger. Standing next to the Rogue, grasping his leg lovingly, was Raichu.

Stacy shaded her eyes as she watched Golbat and Charizard's dogfight, "Wow! Your Pokémon have gotten so powerful, Detective! You'll be the best Trainer at the Indigo League once we get there!"

The Rogue sighed and shrugged, "Maybe, but being the best is not our objective. The only reason for the training is so we can reach the final match and catch Kaine before he begins his plan. Besides," he added with a strong skeptic tone, "You forget, my dear Stacy. I am not a Trainer."

"When are you gonna stop being in denial?" Dontae called from his lounge chair, not even turning his head, "You still got that Trainer spark. And whether you want to admit it or not," he then began singing in an overly dramatic tone, "You wanna be the very best, like no one ever was—"

"Don't you start with me!" the Rogue barked back, shutting down Dontae's "performance". Turning his attention back to Jolteon and Sandslash's sparring match, he gave a quick whistle, "Substitution! Sandslash, take a break!" When Sandslash nodded and walked up to him, the Rogue looked down at Raichu, "Okay, little one, you're up. Go a few rounds with Jolteon, okay?"

Once again, though, Raichu took a glance at Jolteon and crossed her stubby arms defiantly, refusing to have anything to do with her fellow Electric-type, "Chu! Rai-rai, raichu!"

The Rogue groaned in frustration, "Come on, Raichu, you need the training. You still haven't gotten a handle on your emotions, and you'll have to in order be ready for battle."

Raichu didn't seem to be listening; instead, she jumped on the Rogue's chest and hugged him tightly. The extra weight of her evolution knocked the Rogue off his feet and onto his back.

"This," the detective kept a handle on his own emotions as he lie on the deck with Raichu on his chest, "is exactly what I'm talking about."

Both the Rogue and Dontae looked up at Stacy's call of, "Hey, we're here!" Quickly, the Rogue returned Charizard, Sandslash, Jolteon and Raichu, and Dontae got dressed, waking up a groggy and grumbling Charmander at the same time. All three approached the railings and looked out toward the now-clearly-visible port on the Seafoam Islands. Several simple buildings stood out against an otherwise blank and mountainous landscape, and in the distance, the twin of the approaching island looked very much the same. People walked around the docks, boarding ships and hauling cargo, and several Pokémon were seen alongside them, helping whenever possible.

The group quickly ran ashore, searching for a motel or lodge to stay at until the next ship for Cinnabar would depart. It was getting close to dusk, and the Rogue knew that all the sleep they could get was essential, however precious few hours of it they might get. It would also help to try attaining a schedule of arriving and departing vessels, as taking the soonest leaving ship to Cinnabar would, obviously, be essential.

The Rogue felt a nudge on his back, and tried to brush it off, "Not now, Stacy. We need to find a ship schedule of some kind." The Rogue felt the nudge again, and turned to address it, only to find that this was not Stacy. A large, canine snout greeted him, sniffing him all over and appearing to recognize him. The Rogue recognized this as the snout of an Arcanine.

Specifically, Tanshin's Arcanine.

The large canine then howled, and a door to one of the nearby lodges opened. Tanshin himself stepped out, and his Arcanine ran back to greet him, gesturing to the quarry it had obviously been tasked with finding. Like before, the Rogue felt his rage slowly building.

"Afternoon, all!" Tanshin greeted them genially, and when Dontae and Stacy turned to him, they smiled and returned his greeting.

"Tanshin! So nice to see you, sir!" Stacy greeted warmly, that same shy schoolgirl tone evident.

"Yo, Tanshin!" Dontae rushed up to shake the older Trainer's hand, "Fancy seeing you here! You come by for a rematch?"

Charmander bounced up and down eagerly, wanting that rematch just as badly, "Char-char! Charmander!"

Tanshin chuckled as he shook Dontae's enthusiastic hand, "Hello, Dontae. Sorry, but maybe another time." He then approached the Rogue carefully and greeted him in a friendly tone, "I was hoping to see you again, Ryoguchi."

"Don't call me that," was the Rogue's eternal answer, followed by a suspicious question, "What do you want, Dad?"

Tanshin slowly sighed, "Hmm, pleasant as always. Isn't it a little distrustful to think I'd want something every time I see you?"

The Rogue's eyes narrowed, "You know damn good and well why I don't trust you. If you have nothing to say to me, I suggest you let me go on my way."

Dontae groaned, "Dude! Stop your bitching already! The guy's trying to be civil to you! The least you can do is listen without wishing him maimed!"

"Actually," Tanshin interrupted, presumably before things got out of hand, "I did want to talk to you about something important."

"Is this about what you've been doing for twelve years?" the Rogue snapped.

Tanshin sighed and glanced at the ground, "No, but this is still important." He then placed a gentle hand on the Rogue's shoulder, "I need your help, son."

Dontae and Stacy glanced back and forth between the Rogue and his father. Charmander even bit its fingernails nervously, and Golbat watched its partner's expression. The Rogue's face was still and blank, as if considering Tanshin's situation.

After a pause, the Rogue said, very simply, "I needed your help when I was ten." He then quickly turned and walked back toward the docks.

"Damn it, boy!" Tanshin exclaimed as his son walked away, "When are you going to stop punishing me for this? Yes, I walked out on you! Yes, you and your mother needed me! No, I can't explain why I left! But I feel guilty enough! I can't say anything more than 'I'm sorry'! Whether or not you can accept that is up to you, but you can't turn your back now just because you hate me! You are a detective, right? It's your job to help people, right? Well, I need your help! Thousands of Pokémon need your help! Lives are on the line, and if you refuse just because I asked you, you let them down!"

Stacy's hands were clasped over her mouth, and Dontae whistled in amazement to Tanshin's outburst. Charmander was either moved or frightened, and was close to tears. Golbat simply stared, waiting for the Rogue's reaction. Even the bustle of people and Pokémon had slowed by this time, just to watch this confrontation; as a result, the entire port area had become that much quieter.

The Rogue had stopped by this time, but his back was still turned. His eyes were closed, and he released a long, quiet sigh. A few quiet moments had passed before the detective slowly turned, his expression still stony and his tone procedural, "What's the situation?"

A few minutes later, Tanshin was leading the group toward the cavern on the other side of the island. The Seafoam Island caves had been a long-time home for many different Water- and Ice-type Pokémon, as the interior remained cool and frigid despite weather activity on the outside. Along the way, Tanshin had explained what he needed the Rogue's assistance with; according to him, the Pokémon still living in the caves were restless, bordering on violent, and something was causing them to grow riled and unpredictable.

"If left ignored," Tanshin said once the group had finally approached the main cave, "the local Pokémon could create massive stampedes and destroy the inside of the cave. If that happens, they'll either cave themselves in, or escape to the outside and start hurting people."

The Rogue took in all the details and processed them. "Why hasn't anyone seen this before?" was his first question, "Doesn't anyone ever come here?"

"I can answer that," Dontae interjected, "the Seafoam Islands are where really skilled Trainers go to hone their skills. The Pokémon in there are really strong, so only people with advanced Training knowledge come here."

"That's right," Tanshin agreed, "and the only people who live here mainly work at the docks or in lodges and restaurants. There are hardly any Trainers that live here, and taking a trip to train here may be too costly or time-consuming for most Trainers."

The Rogue frowned, "And I suppose that's the reason you came here? To train? Same old Dad . . ."

Tanshin sighed, but did not respond beyond that. The group pressed forward, entering the cave and immediately noticing the difference in temperature. Whereas the outside of the island was warm and humid, the inside of the cave was cold and dry, and getting more and more so as they pressed on.

The light flickering from Charmander's tail sporadically shook as the small Fire-type shivered in the cold. Golbat, shivering only a bit less, draped a warming wing around Charmander, careful to stay clear of its tail. Stacy shivered as well, with better reason; her short-sleeved blouse and skimpy skirt was probably the worst-suited for low temperatures. The Rogue noticed this, and took out his PokéCell and PokéBalls, to keep them close, before taking off his duster and wrapping it around Stacy's shoulders. Stacy blushed and smiled, "Th-th-thank you, Detective . . ."

The Rogue nodded his reply before noticing something on the cave wall, glinting in Charmander's fire-light. The detective approached it, and brushed his hand across it; it slipped across easily.

"This is solid ice," the Rogue concluded, "Even in a cave as cold as this one, this is very unusual."

"Wh-wh-what's s-s-so unusual?" Dontae shivered, "Water f -f-freezes p-p-pretty easily here, you n-n-know."

The Rogue shook his head, "This cave isn't cold enough to freeze water instantly, and this was frozen as soon as it hit the wall, maybe even beforehand. This was made by a Pokémon."

"R-r-really?" Stacy asked, despite the cold halting her words, "W-w-which one? Th-there's lots of Ice-t-types in here."

"Hmmm," the Rogue muttered thoughtfully as he studied the icy wall. He turned back to the group and dug into the breast pocket of his duster while Stacy was still wrapped in it (she blushed again when his hand touched her shoulder). Pulling a small metal chisel from his duster, he turned back to the wall, lifted the chisel lengthwise, and aimed carefully, slamming the sharpened edge into the ice. Cracks immediately formed in the ice, extending from the hole and covering most of the area; the cracks were ornate, complicated, and beautiful.

"Oh I see," Tanshin observed the ornate framework, "Spider cracks."

Stacy studied them especially hard, "They're so pretty."

The Rogue nodded, "Not even a fully-evolved Ice-type Pokémon could make ice that leaves spider cracks this complex. Whatever made this is incredibly powerful, most likely large, but may not even be evolved in any way."

Tanshin was the first to speculate the identity of the offender, "So you're thinking . . . . Legendary?"

The Rogue thought about it, "Maybe . . ." but his thoughts were interrupted by a massive collection of sounds approaching from deeper in the cave. Rumbles could be heard, overlapping a strange sound that almost resembled quacking. A few short seconds later, a heard of Pokémon could be seen clamoring toward the group, screeching and bawling and gesticulating angrily. They were all the same species; lanky, blue and duck-like, with sharp eyes, webbed and clawed paws and feet, long tails, and a red jewel in each forehead. This was a group of Golduck, Psyduck's evolved form, but one Pokémon stood out amongst them. The one anomaly of the group was small, colored a lighter blue, and resembled a seahorse. The Golduck mob was carrying the small creature around with them, and the tiny Pokémon wailed and whined, as if calling for help.

"Ho-ly cow!" Dontae exclaimed, "I've never seen Golduck so riled before! They're supposed to be much calmer than this!"

"See what I mean?" Tanshin yelled over the Golduck's howling, "Something is making these Pokémon freak out!"

"Look!" Stacy pointed out to the little blue creature being carried around, "That Horsea is trying to get away! We have to help it!"

The Rogue simply turned to Golbat and nodded. Unfurling its wing from around Charmander, Golbat took off, sailing directly toward the Golduck horde. Flying low, Golbat swept directly over the heads (and outstretched claws) of the Golduck horde, catching the runaway Horsea onto its back and zooming upwards to avoid revenge. The Golduck saw Golbat getting away, and began shooting massive jets of water from their beaks, trying to knock Golbat out of the sky.

"Whoa!" Dontae exclaimed, "Those Hydro Pumps are gi-normous!" The young Trainer then took a PokéBall and threw it. In a flash and an echoing PANG, Poliwhirl jumped in to help fend off the angry water fowls. Charmander raced to hide behind Dontae, protecting its tail-flame from getting doused.

"Hold on, let me help, Dontae!" Tanshin added, taking his own PokéBall and throwing, "Go, Electrode!" With another echoing PANG, Electrode rolled into combat, the same Electrode that had sparred with the Rogue's Sandslash days earlier.

"Mirror Coat!" Tanshin ordered just as a Hydro Pump struck Electrode, and Electrode became coated in a highly reflective 'skin' of light. Electrode weathered the attack, and just after the Hydro Pump subsided, the 'light-skin' flew from Electrode's body, taking the exact shape of a massive jet of water, and struck Golduck harshly, knocking it out. At the same time, multiple Hydro Pumps were glancing off of Poliwhirl's skin, its Water Absorb ability recovering its health and blocking all damage.

That is, until the Golduck switched strategies.

Without warning, the Golduck began leaping onto Poliwhirl and Electrode, tearing into them viciously with their Fury Swipes. Electrode rolled backwards to dodge, but Poliwhirl was caught up in the attacks, swarmed by multiple opponents.

"Poliwhirl!" Dontae called out to it, "Hang on! You can do this!" This was looking less and less believable; Poliwhirl's attempts to counter were met with multiple Disable moves from the Golduck, and it suffered from more and more damage from Fury Swipes.

The Rogue had just tended to the rescued Horsea Golbat had returned with, when he quickly acted on Poliwhirl's distress. Rushing back to Stacy, he dug around in his duster (making her blush again), he pulled out the evolution stone bag, fumbled around in it, and pulled out a Water Stone. "Dontae!" the detective called, "Catch!"

When the Rogue threw the stone and Dontae caught it, the younger Trainer was confused at first, then fully understood when he saw what he was holding. Turning back to the battle, he acted on his Pokémon's distress, "Poliwhirl, think fast!"

Poliwhirl pushed through the Golducks' onslaught just enough to notice Dontae throwing the Water Stone to it. Stretching out its gloved hand, Poliwhirl caught the stone, and scared the Golduck off it with the subsequent glow. It changed back and forth from form to form, faster and faster, until the glow exploded in a burst of sparkles, and Poliwhirl emerged, a different Pokémon than before.

Poliwhirl's evolved form was a foot taller, its eyes were sharper and meaner, and its body was less dumpy and more muscular, the ideal body structure of a Fighting-type. The Golduck mob saw this, and continued the attack, but Poliwrath jumped, seemingly predicting their every move. After dodging one move, Poliwrath aimed carefully and threw a ferocious punch, knocking out another Golduck with a glowing fist.

Dontae was impressed by Poliwrath's new strength, "Mind Reader and DynamicPunch! EPIC!"

By this time, Electrode and Poliwrath had dealt enough damage to the Golducks' collective ego, and the mad group fled deeper into the cave to lick their wounds. The Horsea, now being held by the Rogue, breathed a squeal of relief and relaxed in the Rogue's arms. Stacy approached the tiny blue creature and tickled it under its horn-shaped snout, "Oh, just look at you, you are such a cutie! Cootchie-cootchie-coo!" Horsea smiled and squealed excitedly at Stacy's playful attention.

The Rogue gently placed Horsea on the ground, allowing it to stand on its own, "Well, you seem to be unharmed. Can you tell us what made those Golduck attack you?"

Horsea considered the question for only a moment, and nodded quickly. It suddenly began flapping the pointy crests on the side of its head and squealing in a deep voice, as if imitating something winged and monstrous.

Charmander stepped forward, trying as usual to play translator for two parties, "Char, charman-char. Charmander?"

Horsea squealed and jumped high, as if reaching for a height it couldn't normally reach.

"Char! Mander, mander. Charman-charmander? Char!"

Horsea squealed again, then shook its head violently, as if exhibiting extreme pain.

Horsea's story confounded the humans in the group, but Charmander supplied Dontae with as much detail as it could possibly relate, in its own language. Dontae nodded, seeming to gain understanding from his connection with the little Fire-type. "I think I have an idea of what happened," he said when Charmander had finished, "Horsea saw something enormous, a Pokémon maybe, throwing a temper tantrum in the deepest parts of the cave. The locals freaked out and tried to run, and they hijacked Horsea on the way."

"Highly unusual," the Rogue analyzed the situation, "What would scare these Golduck so badly that they would risk the lives of other Pokémon just to escape?"

"There's only one way to find out," Tanshin interjected, "We'll need to get deeper into this cave."

The Rogue scoffed, "And throw us farther off schedule."

"Please, son," Tanshin calmly replied, "I promise, if you don't reach the next ship to Cinnabar in time, I'll get you there. My Gyarados can swim faster than any ship, anyway."

Tanshin's interference was grating on the Rogue's nerves, but his assistance (however chagrined the Rogue was at receiving it) was necessary, not just for this disturbance, but for the rest of the Rogue's case. The detective turned back to consult Horsea again, "Can you lead us to the creature that caused the Golduck to riot?"

Horsea looked apprehensive, as if reluctant to oblige to such a ludicrous request, and squealed worriedly, shaking its head.

"It's okay," the Rogue gently coaxed the tiny Water-type, "If anything bad happens, we'll protect you. If we did it once, we can do it again."

Horsea looked back and forth between everyone in the group: the Rogue, Golbat, Dontae, Charmander, Poliwrath, Stacy, Tanshin and Electrode. It seemed to slowly realize that it was well protected, and nodded with a smile and a squeal. It then hopped away, further into the cave, gesturing for the others to follow.

The Rogue and his group all quickly followed behind, but the crippling coldness of the cavern made it difficult to move. What made things worse was that the more distance they made, the faster the light faded and made it harder to see Horsea. Eventually, the group couldn't even hear Horsea's excited squeals anymore; they had faded into the deepest parts of the cave. Even Charmander's light wasn't enough to break through the darkness.

The first to alert the others to their fears was Stacy, "G-g-guys? I c-can't hear Horsea anym-m-more. I'm g-getting s-s-scared . . ."

"Stay calm, everyone," the Rogue calmly insisted, "Horsea can't be too far away. Stay on the lookout."

"You m-must be under the imp-pression that we can see in the d-dark!" Dontae complained, "Because f-from what I s-see, we are r-royally in the sh-AAAAAAAAAAAH!" Dontae's subsequent scream faded faster than Horsea's squeals had mere seconds before.

The Rogue's eyes darted around in the dark, but he saw nothing. Charmander whined as it called out to its Trainer, and Stacy's frantic screams of "Dontae? Dontae! Dontae, where are you?!" pierced the cold air.

"Golbat, can you see Dontae?" the Rogue called out, but his calls were reciprocated by no one. The Rogue gave a two-finger whistle, but the only response was an echo. The Rogue was worried now, as well; first Horsea, then Dontae, and now Golbat was missing as well. It made the detective fleetingly wonder if that Pokémon that had left the ice on the cavern walls was there with them at that moment, taking them away.

"Check it out!"

The call made the remaining group jump in unison. "Dontae, where are you?" Tanshin called out, his voice responding to itself with its reverberating echo.

The Rogue suddenly felt ridiculous for forgetting that Raichu had learned Flash while on the boat ride to the Seafoam Islands, something as a tribute to its friend, Zapdos. Picking out Raichu's PokéBall, the Rogue deployed the electric rodent with a PANG and a temporarily illuminating flash of light. Raichu could not be seen, but her fear could clearly be heard reverberating throughout the cave, "CHAAAAAAA!"

"Calm down, little one!" the Rogue called out over her squeals, "It's okay, we're all right here with you. We need you to light up this cave with Flash. Can you do that?"

Raichu's response could not be heard, but after a short, silent pause, sparks could be seen briefly illuminating the cave floor a few times, until a brilliant white glow emanated from Raichu's cheeks, almost blinding the group.

The light made everything as clear as if the sun were shining in the cave. The part of the cavern the group was in ended in a rounded cul-de-sac of sorts, but at the end of it, in the ground directly in front of them, was an immense hole that led straight down into another cavern. Just inside the hole, flapping madly and screeching, was Golbat, and attached to the Bat Pokémon's leg was a flailing Dontae. Far underneath them both was a rushing current of seawater, swirling and churning noisily and mere inches away from swallowing Dontae (had Golbat not been there).

Tanshin sighed gently, "Well, I'm glad you're okay. Now, I guess there's a need to press on." Guided by Raichu's light, Tanshin sought his Electrode, took out its PokéBall and returned it in a flash of red. He methodically replaced Electrode's Ball with another one from his duster, aimed it down the hole, and opened it with a PANG. An enormous splash went off down below, and the whole group looked down the hole; Tanshin's Gyarados roared up at them, Thrashing around in the cold, rushing current.

"Gyarados!" Tanshin called down to the Atrocious Pokémon, "Can you carry us across this water? We need to see what's going on down there!"

Gyarados roared its compliance, and arched its lengthy, serpentine back upward, allowing the group to board it. Golbat took a few moments to drop Dontae carefully onto the sea serpent's back.

The Rogue looked down at his Golbat and nodded, and Golbat understood. "Okay," the detective began, "Ladies first." Golbat flapped up through the hole and next to Stacy, offering its skinny foot. Stacy grabbed on, and she yelped slightly as she was lifted off the ground. Golbat flapped carefully down the hole, and Stacy cringed the whole way down, as if instinctively believing she was being fed to the massive serpent-like creature. The group watched as Stacy comfortably touched her feet to Gyarados' back.

The Rogue nodded to Tanshin, "Now you." The older Trainer nodded, and when Golbat returned, Tanshin took a gentle, but firm grip on its leg. Soon, Tanshin was lowered down the hole and on top of Gyarados as well, and Golbat was back for another trip.

"Once I'm down," the detective instructed his partner, "Come back for Raichu and Charmander, but don't put them on top of Gyarados. Charmander can't be near the water, and we need to keep Raichu's light as high as possible for maximum observation."

Raichu seemed to hear this, and suddenly jumped onto the Rogue's leg, "Chuuuu! Rai-chu rai-chu! Chuuuu!" Her light was obscured when she buried her face in the Rogue's leg, only illuminating the cave when she looked piteously up at him (shining the light in his face).

"Raichu, please!" the Rogue's voice was strict and harsh, "Now is not the time for this! We can't get through this cave without your light! I will stay as close to you as possible, I promise! Now, please do this for me!"

Raichu's eyes swam with tears as she continued looking up at the Rogue (the detective tried not to lose his patience when her Flash-light burned into his eyes). She glanced at Golbat, and it nodded slowly and benignly, and after a few seconds, she nodded as well, finally compliant, "Rai. Rai-chu rai-chu. Chu-rai-chu."

The Rogue was the last to nod, and he took Golbat's leg as well. Golbat took off, lowering the Rogue slowly down the hill and toward the blue, scaly back of Tanshin's Gyarados. Once the soles of his boots touched the rough skin, the Rogue released Golbat, and the Poison-type flew back up through the hole with quick fervor. In a few seconds, the light shining in from above intensified, and when the group looked up, Golbat was flapping above them again, giving them a reliable, sharp-eyed wink. On its back, Charmander gave the thumbs-up, and Raichu waved to the Rogue, its black eyes filled with longing.

"Okay, everyone here?" Tanshin called out to the group, and the Rogue, Stacy and Dontae each chimed in, present and accounted for. "Good," Tanshin said satisfactorily, "Then let's move out. Gyarados! All ahead full!"

Gyarados roared and pressed on, its slender, yet powerful body pushing through the tremendous waves as if the water was calm and serene. Golbat stayed above them at all times, pointing Raichu's light through the cave to guide their path. The humans stayed steady, having some difficulty keeping balance on the massive sea serpent, but also staying in awe of Gyarados' incredible speed. The group's attention, however, was largely focused on their unseen company; the deeper they got into the watery cave, the more each of them could swear they heard sounds.

"H-h-hey, g-guys?" Stacy muttered, the cold in her stutter blending with her fear, "I th-th-think there s-something b-big in here with us . . . . . s-s-something b-big and sc-c-cary . . . . ."

"Relax, everyone," the Rogue assured, "We need to stay calm and focused, and keep a sharp eye out for any-GET DOWN!" All four humans dove flat onto Gyarados' back, and the Water-type swerved, dodging a freezing beam of blue light that had shot at them from out of nowhere. Gyarados quickly swam to a safe angle, and the Rogue set his mind to work, trying to figure out the direction from which the attack was launched. The detective knew this move to be Ice Beam, and remembered seeing Verdus' Cloyster use the same move mere days earlier. This Ice Beam, however, came from no Cloyster; it was massive, thicker and more forceful than any Ice-type attack he'd yet seen, and seemed to radiate fantastic amounts of power. There was no doubt in the Rogue's mind—this was the Ice Beam that created the ice on the wall of the cavern above, the ice that left beautiful, ornate spider cracks.

"Great gobs of Grimer guts!" Dontae exclaimed, "What the hell was that?!" His question was almost instantly answered by the sound of flapping wings. In the shadows, just beyond Raichu's light, something stirred in midair. While unseen at first, the creature emitted blue, sparkly light all over its body, somewhat framing its shape as that of a bird of some sort—an enormous bird. It flapped closer, and the group saw it in greater detail; it was indeed a large bird, covered in light blue feathers, with lighter blue breast plumage and darker blue making up the tri-pointed crest on its head and its long, elegant tail feathers. It sported long, deadly-looking dark-gray talons and a short, pointy beak. Its eyes were wide with maddening frenzy as it thrashed around in the air, spewing the same powerful icy beams of light that had nearly struck the group seconds before.

There was a lengthy, awe-inspired pause, which Tanshin was the first to break. "Sweet mother of Kanto . . . . that's an Articuno!"

"Articuno?!" Dontae responded, dumbstruck, "the Legendary bird of Ice?! What's it doing here?"

"This must be its nest," the Rogue hypothesized, "it's the perfect place for it: large, cold, and secret, just the place for a Legendary Pokémon to live away from prying eyes."

Stacy followed up, adding worry to the shock and confusion, "But why is it in so much pain? Who would make that poor creature so upset?"

"YOU ARE TRESPASSING. LEAVE NOW, AND YOU WILL NOT SUFFER."

A collective chill went through the bodies of the entire party, not caused by the cold. "What," Dontae asked the obvious question, " . . . . . was that?"

"Wait, you heard it, too?" Tanshin asked, his tone sending more unpleasant feelings through the group, "I thought that was just in my head."

"Me too," Stacy whinged, her shivering now entirely derived from fright, "We have to get out of here! There's something here that doesn't like us very much! We need to go, now!"

Gyarados was beginning to panic as well, and had swum up to a spit of land jutting up above the waves to drop the humans off. The Rogue, Dontae, Stacy and Tanshin all touched foot to dry land, and Tanshin quickly returned his Gyarados, which was suddenly showing signs of agitation. Golbat had landed by this time, and Charmander and Raichu disembarked; all three were displaying similar problems. Golbat's wings flapped about madly, Charmander's tail-flame intensified, and Raichu screamed and released powerful arcs of lightning from its cheeks. All three also showed that their eyes were crazed and frenzied, just like Articuno's.

"What is going on?!" Dontae bellowed in frustration, "Guys! Talk to us! What's the matter?"

The Rogue slowly approached Golbat, "Golbat, please, calm down! What's gotten into you?"

But the Bat Pokémon wouldn't listen; it swept its wing into the Rogue, knocking him back several feet and making him land roughly on his back.

"YOU WERE WARNED, HUMANS," the booming mind-voice sounded off again, "NOW YOU SHALL PAY FOR YOUR INSOLENCE!"

Suddenly, an eerie sound and a burst of air went off behind the group, and they all turned to face the last thing they were prepared to contend with. The creature that had appeared before them was well over six feet tall, and humanoid in nature, sporting animal features that could be likened to cats. It was greyish-purple, with sharp, triangular ears and a long, thick tail colored a richer purple. Its hands ended in three bulbous fingers each, while its feet looked similar with two toes each. Its most disturbing feature: a short, thin tube sticking out of the back of its head and curving downward, sticking into the top of its spine.

The creature's sharp eyes glowed as the booming voice from before sounded off again, "I will not show you mercy, humans! My quest for the ultimate power will not be deterred by the likes of you! Articuno will meet the same fate as all of you tonight!"

Everyone in the group stood frozen in fear. Only Tanshin found the effort to speak, "It can't be . . . it's . . . it's true . . . it really _does_ exist . . . . . Mewtwo . . ."

The Rogue, Dontae and Stacy glanced at him, searching for answers. "Mewtwo?" the Rogue spoke next, "Impossible! Mewtwo is an urban legend! Some crazy myth of science gone wrong!"

Tanshin shook his head, "I'm afraid not. The myths about a clone of Mew are true. This creature is the most powerful Pokémon that science had its hand in. Its Psychic power is so phenomenally developed, it has mastered language, telepathy, combat . . . its the ultimate fighting machine!" The older Trainer turned to see the Rogue's Golbat and Raichu and Dontae's Charmander settle down, and collapse to the ground. When he glanced at Articuno and saw it in the same condition, he whispered, "It must be what's causing all this . . ."

Mewtwo smiled, but did not speak. Or, at least, open its mouth to do so. "Very good, human," the voice Mewtwo was projecting mentally spoke up, "and with all this power at my disposal, my most logical goal is to test it, and prove myself to the world! My first mission in proving the capabilities my creators provided me with must obviously be to eliminate all those strong enough to stand in my way! Articuno is not the first, nor will it be the last!"

This struck something in the Rogue's memory. Something from that same day, back at the Power Plant, while the Rogue solved the mystery of the energy siphon. Something that connected the behavior of the Pokémon of Seafoam and that of one other legendary Pokémon . . .

"It was you!" the Rogue accused, bewildered, "You attacked Zapdos and sapped its powers! The only reason you didn't kill it was because it was hiding in the Power Plant with the workers!"

Mewtwo's patronizing smile remained, "You are clearly more intelligent than the average human. You are correct; to attack Zapdos at that point, and reveal myself to the humans, would've been foolish. But, it made no difference; the Legendary Birds of Kanto are my only true competition, and the order in which they are eliminated is of no consequence. Once Articuno is reduced to mental ruin, I will return to hunting Zapdos, and Moltres will soon follow. No one will stand in my way! Especially you primitive apes who call yourselves dominant!" Mewtwo then threw back an arm, and conjured a round, murky ball of darkness in its hand.

Suddenly, a thick cloud of smoke obscured Mewtwo, and the Shadow Ball sailed past the group just as they were about to react. All four humans and all three Pokémon looked wildly around for their savior, and found it in a tiny blue creature: Horsea.

"Horsea!" Stacy cried jubilantly, "You're okay!" Horsea squealed in glee and jumped into Stacy's arms.

The Rogue saw this as a declaration of war, and knew they had no choice but to fight back. Quickly taking up a PokéBall, he summoned Charizard in a blaze of light. Dontae followed through, and deployed Wartortle, and Tanshin aided them by unveiling his Dragonite.

Horsea's Smokescreen swirled around Mewtwo, then instantly evaporated, revealing an insanely angry face on the Genetic Pokémon. "Fools!" Mewtwo's voice filled their minds, "You can't possibly stop me. I am the most powerful Pokémon that has ever lived!" Mewtwo then began to hover, its skin coated with a pulsing blue energy and its muscular body twitching madly, ready to strike. Another ball of shadow formed in its hand, and it quickly flung the projectile. Charizard and Dragonite took off, while Wartortle pulled its body into its shell, its reduced height making it easily duck the incoming Shadow Ball.

"Charizard!" the Rogue commanded, "Use Metal Claw!"

Tanshin made a command next, "Fire Punch!"

The two draconic Pokémon flew fast into the fray, and Charizard's claws lengthened and gained a silvery coat of steel. At the same time, Dragonite's curled fist flew, covered in blazing fire. Both Pokémon struck with their moves full-force . . .

And neither move did damage.

Just as Charizard and Dragonite struck, a thick bubble of pink energy encircled Mewtwo, protecting it from Charizard and Dragonite's combined offensive. The Rogue knew this to be Barrier, and knew a change in tactics was in order. "Flamethrower!" he commanded quickly, and Charizard obeyed, opening its mouth and spraying Mewtwo with flames. Moments before the flames connected, however, Mewtwo's eyes glowed stark white, then flashed unbearably bright for a fraction of a second. It appeared to do nothing at first, but the Rogue knew this move to be Amnesia. Now, the Psychic beast was defended against special moves as well.

"Thunder Wave!" Tanshin commanded, and Dragonite began generating crackling electricity from its long, thin antennae. It launched the move, but Mewtwo quickly countered by conjuring another shield. This one, it seemed, was made entirely out of bright, miniature stars, and protected Mewtwo from Dragonite's paralyzing attack.

"No!" the Rogue lamented, recognizing that shield as Safeguard, "It's protected from everything! Physical moves, special moves, and status ailments! It _is_ the ultimate fighting machine!"

"I got this!" Dontae announced confidently, "Wartortle, Water Pulse!" Wartortle hardly needed time for the command; it launched the pulsating rings of water at Mewtwo, and the attack hit dead center. Mewtwo didn't even flinch, nor did it need much movement to conjure three more Shadow Ball attacks. The creature launched the attacks, and Wartortle, Charizard and Dragonite were all thrown back violently, defeated in an instant.

Tanshin and Dontae returned their Pokémon, and Dontae mourned his loss, "Okay . . . . maybe I don't got this . . ."

"We can't beat it!" Tanshin yelled out in frustration, "It was made for this kind of combat! Mewtwo is undefeatable!"

"And you will not live long enough to remember it!" Mewtwo's voice penetrated their minds again, "The taste of death will be a blessing when I'm through with you filthy humans!" He then aimed his mutated hand at Stacy, and she began to glow blue as she slowly rose up in the air.

Stacy screamed as she rose higher and higher, "Heeeeeelp! Please, put me down! Please, don't hurt me, please! ROOOOOGUE! HEEEEEEEEEEELP!"

While the Rogue admitted that Mewtwo was incredibly powerful, there was no force powerful enough to stop the detective from tearing Mewtwo limb from limb. Quickly returning his fallen Charizard, the Rogue took up another PokéBall and called out his forbidden combatant, "Scyther, attack!" In a flash, the beastly Mantis Pokémon appeared, swinging its deadly arm-scythes and screaming for blood.

"Rogue, no!" Dontae desperately discouraged, "We can't trust Scyther now! It'll start a bloodbath!"

The Rogue glanced at Dontae to give a quiet, though deadly resolute reply, "I'm counting on it."

Scyther saw Mewtwo, and screamed as it flew into battle on its own, "SCYTHAAAAAAAA!" Aiming a ferocious Slash, it grated its deadly claw against Mewtwo's chest, and the Genetic Pokémon faltered. It's power temporarily faded, and Stacy fell from the air, with Tanshin at the right place to catch her.

"Wha- . . . what?" Mewtwo's voice was distinctly worried, perhaps even afraid, "What beast is this? Such dark thoughts . . . . such wicked plans . . . such . . . _evil_ . . . . . it's the most distinct reason why you must never leave this cave!" Mewtwo's eyes glowed blue, and it flew into the fray to meet the ferocious Bug-type in battle.

Mewtwo's first move was another Shadow Ball, its fastest and largest so far. Scyther quickly saw the attack coming, and enacted a blindingly fast Double Team. The Shadow Ball sailed through a Scyther copy, and the Bug-type landed another Slash attack, knocking Mewtwo back again. The mutant Pokémon growled in frustration and launched another Shadow Ball, but another Scyther copy took the brunt while the mad Bug struck again, this time with its widespread wings in a brutal Wing Attack.

"Whoa!" Tanshin exclaimed, "That Scyther really _is_ a loose cannon . . . . but its power is unbelievable!"

That's when the Rogue added to the campaign, "Raichu, Horsea, use your moves to lower its accuracy! Hurry, while its weak!"

Raichu hesitated for a second or so, but Horsea reacted almost immediately, as if it were the Rogue's Pokémon. In an instant, Horsea exhaled, and a blanket of smoke covered the floor of the cave. Like before, though, Mewtwo's psychic powers broke through, and the smoke instantly dissipated. That's when Raichu struck, igniting its cheeks with a brilliant Flash that made Mewtwo shield its eyes.

"Damnable creatures!" Mewtwo bellowed with its mentally-projected voice, "Accept your fates! Struggling against the most powerful Pokémon on the planet is meaningless!" It was at this time that it set up another Barrier to intercept an incoming Fury Cutter from Scyther. This merely enraged the insane Bug-type even more, and another, stronger Fury Cutter was its response. Mewtwo continued to build up its Barrier as Scyther kept Slashing and Cutting at the legendary psychic superweapon.

The Rogue quickly changed strategies when he saw an opportunity; taking up another Ball, he threw and summoned Jolteon in a flash of light. "Jolteon, use Shadow Ball!" the Rogue called quickly before turning to Raichu, "Help it out with Thunder, and no arguments!"

Dontae seemed to understand the Rogue's strategy, and quickly contributed; he quickly deployed Flareon from its own Ball and commanded it as well, "Flareon, use Overheat!" He quickly commanded Charmander as well, "Help them out with Flamethrower!"

Tanshin took the opportunity to strike as well; he opened another PokéBall and called upon his Alakazam with admirable reflexes, "Hyper Beam!"

Jolteon conjured its own murky ball of darkness in its mouth and fired. Raichu's tremendous electrical power surged, and it launched a sizzling bolt of lightning as the thunder sounded off, even deep in the cave. Charmander and Flareon both unleashed blistering jets of fire, with Flareon's surging with such unbridled power that the fire burned with a deep crimson color. Alakazam crossed its two spoons in front of it and conjured an incredible beam of bright light not unlike that of Verdus' Kangaskhan seen in the Safari Zone. It was at this time that Articuno showed itself to be recovering, and it projected another massive Ice Beam, aimed directly at its Psychic tormentor.

The furious special attacks polymerized into an apocalyptic explosion; Mewtwo was seen long enough to flash its eyes for another Amnesia, but it wasn't enough. The amalgamated burst of attacks was too much for even Mewtwo to overcome, and the Genetic Pokémon was sent flying. The attack pushed the Psychic creature off its feet, sent it whizzing through the air, and crushed it into the rock wall of the cavern. The attack continued to drill through the wall of the cavern, up and out to the outside world and taking a screaming Mewtwo with it.

All of the humans, as well as Articuno, collapsed from exhaustion as they returned their returnable Pokémon. Scyther, however, was quite a bit more difficult to handle now that battle had worked it up into a nice, healthy frenzy. A well-placed Disable from Tanshin's Alakazam made it easier for the Rogue to return it.

Tanshin seemed to be amused by these events, and even laughed a bit as the group sat there in their awkward recuperation. "Well," the older man said quite cheerfully, "That wasn't such a chore, now was it?"

The Rogue could do nothing but scowl at his father, "Shut up, Dad. Just shut up."

Horsea hopped out of the entrance of the cave, and called inside to the group it guided. In quick succession, Tanshin's Dragonite carried its Trainer and Dontae out of the cave, followed by the Rogue and Stacy atop Charizard, and finally, Golbat carried Charmander and a still-Flashing Raichu.

Tanshin was still cheerful as the group disembarked, "I have to hand it to you, Ryoguchi-"

"Stop calling me that."

"—your plan to make Mewtwo default to physical protection and overtake it with special attacks was absolutely ingenious! And rendering all of its shields redundant by weakening its Accuracy was brilliant! You're still the Trainer I remember!"

"How many times do I have to say it?" the detective complained, "I am not—"

"We get it, we get it!" Dontae interrupted, "'You're not a Trainer!' Seriously, dude, you desperately need a new catchphrase!" He then glanced over to the two draconic Pokémon, "Hey, what's with them?"

Dragonite seemed to be acting timid for some reason, and held its arms shyly behind its back as it stood next to Charizard. It glanced toward the Fire-type, then blushed and turned away, lowing in what seemed to be a coy fashion, "Baaar-bwar!"

Tanshin laughed some more at this sight, "Well, isn't that cute? Somebody's got a bit of a crush! Didn't I mention that my Dragonite was female?"

Dontae, Stacy, Golbat, Charmander, Raichu, and even Horsea were flabbergasted. "No," Dontae said as softly as he could manage, "That must've just slipped your mind."

The Rogue scoffed as he returned Charizard (automatically causing Dragonite to make a sad face), and went through with business, "Well, as promised, you have to take us to Cinnabar Island on your Gyarados."

"No problem," Tanshin grinned while returning his Dragonite, "It can get you there in less time than a ship. In the meantime, your Pokémon seem like they could use some training. Especially your loose-cannon of a Scyther. Maybe you'd like to hand it over to me for awhile? At least, until I can teach it some self-control?"

Ordinarily, the Rogue would have found this proposition insulting, and would have absolutely refused to allow anyone, much less his father, to take his Pokémon for any reason. However, Tanshin had a valid point. If Scyther hadn't been preoccupied with a particularly challenging opponent, it wouldn't have taken its unfounded rage out on the rest of the group. And maybe Mewtwo had a point, as well; maybe there was just something evil deep inside it that needed to be purged. And as necessary as it was, the Rogue couldn't invest the time and energy needed to train Scyther properly.

Furthermore, the Rogue saw another reason to make room on his team; Horsea was still in their company, and it was currently rubbing against the detective's leg and looking up at him sweetly, as if begging to go with him. The Rogue sighed, and took out Scyther's PokéBall, gazing at it for a long time. "Well," he relented, "I guess I need a Water-type."

Horsea heard this, and jumped into the Rogue's arms, squealing joyously. Raichu, still observing, gritted her teeth and growled, sparks flying from her cheeks, "Raaaaaaaaaaaaai . . . ."

The Rogue saw this display, and took another long sigh. The Rogue knew it would have to come for this; unfortunately, Scyther wasn't the only Pokémon on his team that desperately needed special attention that the Rogue could not give. He almost felt as though he were abandoning his teammates after the hard work and loyalty they showed, but he willed himself not to believe it. As painful as it was for the Rogue to admit, both Scyther and Raichu needed special training, and the Rogue simply couldn't cut it.

Walking toward Raichu and kneeling, the Rogue tried to make his voice as soft and gentle as possible, "Listen, Raichu. I'm gonna need you to go with my dad for a while, okay?"

The tears welled up in Raichu's eyes almost immediately, "RAI! Rai-chu, rai-chu! Chu! Rai-chu, rai-chu, chu!"

"Please, don't make this harder than it needs to be," the detective calmed her down, "I wish I could train you the way you need to be trained. But this case has to come first. Trust me, my father can give you all the attention you need, and when we see each other again, you'll be much stronger. I promise you."

Raichu's tears slowed, but did not stop. She seemed to understand, but it didn't make their parting any less sad. With all her might, she reached out and hugged her Trainer, crying and sparking her cheeks, "Rai-chu, rai-chu! Rai-chu, rai-chu!"

The Rogue reached out and returned her embrace, "Parting _is_ such sweet sorrow, isn't it? It's okay, little one. You'll be back with me someday. I promise." He then took out Raichu's Ball and returned her out from his arms. Taking Scyther's Ball as well, the Rogue presented them both to Tanshin. "I'm trusting you _one time_, old man," he said bitterly, meaning every single word, "If something happens to them, I'll get every single cop in Kanto after you."

"Relax, son," Tanshin replied calmly and seriously, "They'll be treated as if they were my own. They're in good hands, and when I give them back, they'll be stronger than ever."

"And when this is all over," the Rogue added, "as payment, I expect you to tell me everything about why you left!"

Now, it was Tanshin's turn to take a heavy, exhausted sigh, "Mmmm . . . don't press your luck, son."


	23. 23 - Undocked Burnings

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#23: Undocked Burnings

"So he said, 'Oh, I'm havin' a Ball!' And then I said, 'You ARE? Well, open it up and show me what you caught! Wa-HAH! Wa-HAH! Wa-HAH! Wa-HAH! Wa-HAH!"

This was Dontae's twentieth lame joke since the ride began, and the Rogue was so annoyed by this time, he was ready to throw himself overboard. Only three things stopped him: one, Tanshin's Gyarados was indeed faster than any ship, and the group was already almost at Cinnabar Island. Two: the Rogue's Horsea was swimming around in the sea, in the middle of an intense training session to bring its skill up to match the rest of his team.

And third, and most important: the detective was two badges away from the Indigo League, and five days remained before the start of the tournament. This meant that time was running out.

After the rest of the day and all of the next, night had fallen, but the skyline of Cinnabar Island was clearly visible in the night sky. Cinnabar had been rebuilt after a massive volcanic eruption some years ago, and had only recently become the sprawling island paradise it once was. Accordingly, Blaine had been forced to relocate his Gym after the eruption, but now that the city was rebuilt and better than ever, Blaine had moved back, and was waiting for challengers to take him on once again.

Gyarados reached the docks, and allowed the group to disembark. Dontae jumped off and landed on the dock, adding unnecessary flair to it by loudly announcing, "Ta-daaaaaaaa!" Tanshin slid off quite easily, and when Stacy hopped off, she blushed intensely when Tanshin caught her. The Rogue was the last one off, giving a two-finger whistle as he landed; Golbat, miles above them, swooped down and landed gently beside its partner, allowing Charmander to touch ground as well. Once Horsea followed the group out of the ocean and onto the dock, the Rogue promptly returned it to its PokéBall.

"Well, then," Tanshin began, a slight hint of exhaustion in his voice, "We probably ought to be looking for the Pokémon Center to get some rest, shouldn't we?"

"No," the Rogue answered simply, "Dontae and I have to make a stop first."

"Huh?" Dontae questioned, "What stop? I'd like to get some sleep sometime before sunrise!"

"Not until we take a trip to the Pokémon Lab," the detective muttered simply before digging his hand into his duster. When pulling it out, a small rock-like object was clasped inside.

It was the Dome Fossil the Rogue was given by the rescued scientist at Mt. Moon.

Dontae's eyes widened in realization, and he dug his hand into his own pocket, pulling out the Helix Fossil given to him by the same man. He looked back at the Rogue with a sly grin, "Rogue, you a sweet, smart motherf-"

"Let's just go!" the Rogue urged, re-pocketing the Dome Fossil, "If the scientists at the lab can really revive our fossils, the Pokémon we get from them will need training, especially mine. We can't waste any more time." He then turned toward Stacy and Tanshin, "You two find the Pokémon Center and get some rest. We'll be back as soon as we can."

The Rogue then turned toward the city and quickly made his way out, with Dontae putting away the Helix Fossil and following. Golbat and Charmander quickly reacted, and the Flying-type took the Fire-type onto its back and took off after them.

Both the Rogue and Dontae walked out of the Testing Room of the Cinnabar Pokémon Laboratory. The duo stood and stared at the plain white wall in front of them after leaving the doctor they had just consulted about their fossils; the odd man running the genetics department was still running full-tilt, even after-hours. He seemed more than willing to use the lab's technology to resurrect the two fossils, and had shooed them out of the lab so he could enact the process.

"So?" Dontae questioned unnecessarily loudly, "How long is this whack-job gonna take?"

The Rogue silently held up a finger to silence him, then checked his watch for a few seconds. He then held up three fingers and soundlessly counted backwards, _Three. Two. One._

The Rogue then quickly opened the door and walked back into the lab, with Dontae giving an aggravated sigh before following him. The duo approached the scientist working the machinery, and the goggle-eyed little man squealed in a strange accent, "WHERE WERE YOU? Your fossils are back to life!" He then turned and produced the two fossils he had been presented with, only now, they had taken back the life they had millions of years before they had become fossils.

Each newly-revived Pokémon was not much taller than a foot. The Rogue's new Pokémon, revived from the Dome Fossil, was small and brown, and resembled a trilobite, only with a smooth shell and six stubby yellow legs. It had a pair of beady black eyes on top of its shell, and when angled correctly to see underneath the shell, it sported an extra pair of eyes, much larger and bright shiny red in color, hiding in the darkness beneath the stone-hard carapace. Dontae's new Pokémon, revived from the Helix Fossil, sported a spiral-shaped shell, and had a small, blue body with tiny tendrils sticking out of the opening of it, resembling an ammonite.

"It was Kabuto and Omanyte, like I think!" the strange doctor declared, handing them to the Rogue and Dontae, respectively. Omanyte hardly moved in Dontae's arms, and Kabuto was completely still; neither seemed too excited at the new chance at life this amazing technology had given them.

"Hmmm," Dontae puzzled over the matter, "They don't look like they're all that excited . . ."

The Rogue sighed as they both produced PokéBalls to capture, "Once we get them trained up, they'll be fine. We need to get going."

"YOU!" the unusual doctor rounded on the duo once again, "You have more fossil for me?" At this, the Rogue and Dontae simply stared at the strange little man, unable to answer audibly. They simply shook their heads in a 'no' response. "No?" the scientist replied, crestfallen, "Is too bad . . . ."

The Rogue and Dontae bade their tentative goodbyes before leaving the lab's testing room. They made their way down the hall and into the lobby, where Golbat and Charmander were waiting. Just as the two Trainers were reunited with their Pokémon, the group jumped at a sudden sound; the Rogue's PokéCell was ringing.

Figuring it was just Stacy calling, the Rogue took his PokéCell from his duster, but when he saw the number on the ID screen, he stopped; he didn't recognize the number. Knowing this would likely be another roadblock, the Rogue felt his investigatory obligations press him, and he answered, "This is the Rogue."

"Salutations, my dear detective."

The Rogue felt a chill run up his spine when he heard the voice on the other end of the line. It was the deepest, darkest voice he'd ever heard; as deadly as Hellfire and yet as cold as the furthest reaches of space. The Rogue quickly put the PokéCell on speaker phone so Dontae could hear this voice; he didn't know how he knew, but somehow, the Rogue had no doubt in his mind whatsoever.

This was the voice of Kaine.

"Honestly, detective, I was surprised at your choice of strategy for your campaign against me," the cold, hellish voice spoke up, "Of course, that's not to say I was not expecting it. In fact, I was _counting on it!_"

The Rogue felt his heart freeze at these words, "But how . . . how did you know? How did you know about all this?"

Kaine's cold, yet demonic voice chuckled as it spoke up again, "My dear detective! Surely you've figured out by now that your method of stopping me—the only method you _could_ take—is the exact course of action I _wanted_ you to take?"

Dontae whispered as Kaine finished speaking, "Is that . . . ?"

The Rogue nodded, his blood continuing to run cold, even as he answered, "You . . . you wanted me to become a Trainer again? Why?"

Kaine's voice chuckled again, "All will be revealed when we meet at the Plateau, my dear detective. You are still coming, right? Or are you not aware that you have less than five days to reach the tournament?"

The Rogue could almost perfectly predict the answer to his next question, but he felt compelled to ask anyway; he had to know, "Why? Why put so many people in danger? What's the point?"

Kaine's voice chuckled more, longer than before. "Weren't you paying attention, detective?" he replied humorously, "As I mentioned in my little note to the good Professor, I have my own reasons."

By now, Dontae seemed unsatisfied with simply listening, "You sick bastard! You're toying with innocent lives like they mean nothing to you! Thousands of living beings are in danger because of you! Who do you think you are?!"

More chuckling came from the earpiece, accompanied by Kaine's answer, "Oh, is that the brash young Dontae? How is your brother, my boy? Not on speaking terms, I hear. I imagine your Charmander's scar must not be healing as nicely as you wanted!"

Dontae's face froze, and his eyes were saucers. Charmander looked up at its Trainer worriedly, gently rubbing the scar over its eye.

Kaine resumed speaking, the haughtiness in his voice clearly evident even with all its monstrosity, "Now, you listen, and listen well, my dear detective. Unless you want to be responsible for the horrific, fiery deaths of countless Trainers and Pokémon, I suggest you pick up the pace. Only two badges remain, and I won't wait forever. I may just jump ahead a couple of days if you don't follow through with your plans, detective, so your best possible course of action is the one you are on right now."

"Hold it!" the Rogue yelled into the receiver, "I won't let you do this, you vicious lunatic! If you really wanted to prove I couldn't beat you, you'd confront me face-to-face! Leave innocent civilians out of this and face me yourself!"

"Ah-ah-ah!" Kaine's voice scolded condescendingly, "Keep your temper, my dear detective! As I said, we will meet at the Plateau. Good luck in the tournament, my keen adversary. As I also said before, pray you don't disappoint me." After that, there was nothing but a dial tone.

The Rogue found himself broiling with a rage so strong, not even Verdus could have brought it out of him. "Damn him!" the Rogue cursed, squeezing his PokéCell in his shaking fist, "He's absolutely insane! How can he be ready to do something so heinous, and still bait me like a Magikarp! Damn him! DAMN HIM!"

"Relax, man," Dontae placed a hand on the Rogue's shaking fist to calm him, "We got this. He's right, you only need two more badges, and if you keep up the battling I've seen, those will be the easiest badges you get. Besides, you got Golbat on your side, and all the Pokémon you caught and trained so far. And you got me and Charmander at your back, and you got Stacy. With all of us behind you, I know you can find that sicko and lock him up for good!" Charmander glared at the Rogue with its Trainer's determination, nodding once and flaring up the flame on its tail. Golbat nodded as well, its gaze steady and unfaltering.

The Rogue glanced from one face to the next and back again. Dontae's support was well-received, but it was useless unless there was some substance behind it. Not only did Kaine have knowledge of the Rogue's intentions, but he proved that he had deduced the detective's plan before he had even made it. So many questions about this madman remained unanswered, and so many more sprang up after his phone call. How did he get the PokéCell's number? How did he know such deep, sensitive information about the Rogue's case (not to mention Dontae's family)? How long has he been watching? Why did he want the Rogue to take the course of action he had taken? And worst of all: how would the Rogue prepare himself against an enemy that knew his every move?

"Let's move," the Rogue said resolutely as he pocketed his PokéCell, "These new Pokémon need training, and fast."

The volcano climbed high into the skies of the early dawn, and smoked a bit from its still-churning volcanic activity. The Rogue, Dontae, and Stacy approached the door of the Gym, which was once again constructed into the side of the volcano.

"You sure those new Pokémon of yours can do this?" Dontae asked as they surveyed the facade of the Gym, "They're both brand new, and haven't had much battling action yet. Using them against Blaine may be risky."

The Rogue made little movement as he replied, "They both have the type advantage. Horsea and Kabuto are both Water-types, and Kabuto is half-Rock. And they've been trained well enough to stand up to Blaine, so the rest is up to me."

"But can you do it in the condition you're in?" Stacy asked worriedly, "You and Dontae trained all night long, and you didn't even get a wink of sleep. And Blaine's supposed to be a master of riddles and quizzes. Are you sure you can concentrate without sleep?"

The Rogue felt a sigh escape his throat, "After what I heard from Kaine, sleep is the last thing on my mind right now. In fact, after what I heard, my concentration is sharper than ever." And without another word, the detective made his way through the door of the Gym. Golbat quickly followed, and Dontae, Charmander and Stacy went in after.

The Gym's interior was plainly painted and tiled, and the temperature inside was naturally intense. Already situated on the far side of the battlefield inside the Gym, was Blaine. He was a tall man, balding and hunched with age, wearing a smart white suit and fedora and dark sunglasses. Despite his age, he carried himself with dignity as he held himself up with a simple walking cane. "Ah, the infamous Rogue come to challenge me!" he greeted jovially, "I'd heard rumors of your quest, but I thought the only reason for you to be here would be to challenge me once again to a battle of wits!"

"'Battle of wits'?" Stacy asked, puzzled, "You've challenged Blaine before, Detective?"

"Not to a Pokémon battle," the Rogue replied simply, "On my travels to improve my detective skills, I came to Cinnabar several times to challenge my mind with Blaine's puzzles and riddles. He hasn't beaten me yet."

"HAH!" Blaine cackled, "It's grand to get another shot at besting you, Detective! Matching wits with your massive intellect has always been stimulating! I can't wait!"

"I'm afraid I'm not here for another game of wits, Blaine," the Rogue responded plainly, "I require your Badge for a very important case, so I'm here to challenge you for it."

"HAH! Even better!" Blaine laughed, "However, I feel I must warn you, my Pokémon incinerate all challengers! That is," his grin widened, "if you can still surpass my riddles in order to face me in combat! Using clues I give you, you must correctly predict every Pokémon I use in battle before I release it. Should you guess wrong at any time, the challenge is over and you lose!"

The Rogue took several seconds to consider this, and answered, "Very well, I accept. But make no mistake, Blaine. Your mind games won't be enough to distract me."

"HAH!" Blaine cackled once again as he took his first PokéBall from his suit pocket, "Then let's begin now!" As the older man continued, he took his position on one side of the battlefield, "Your first riddle, Detective: 'I have a tale to tell, one for each day of the week and two extra, but don't hold them with a grain of salt, or you'll regret it! Who am I?'"

The Rogue wasn't even halfway to his position on the other side when he answered, "Simple, Blaine. The answer is Ninetales."

Blaine grinned and threw his PokéBall, and with a flash and a PANG, a gorgeous Ninetales appeared in a flash of white light. It sat regally on the battlefield, swishing its nine beautiful tails regally and awaiting command.

"Ooooh, it's so pretty!" Stacy admired, "It's just as pretty as your Ninetales, Dontae!"

Dontae panicked and slowly brushed his fingertips over a PokéBall at his belt, "Yeah, and when Janice finds out, it certainly _won't_ be pretty . . . ."

The Rogue seized up his opponent, then took out his own PokéBall. With another flash of light, Sandslash appeared, swiping its claws and grinning arrogantly, ready as ever to show off, "Wh-shash! Wh-shash!"

The Rogue's first move was quick, "Sandslash, use Sandstorm!" Sandslash nodded, then proceeded to show off some fancy footwork before executing a perfect tornado spin. As a result, a furious cloud of dust sprang up and covered the entire battlefield. Sandslash let its Sand Veil ability work its magic, and the Mouse Pokémon vanished within the dust devil.

Blaine was nearly just as quick with his countermeasure, "Sunny Day!" Ninetales suddenly stood on its delicate paws, threw back its head and released a shrill howl. Instantly, the dust settled, and the air seemed to ignite, as if the sun were shining through the roof of the Gym. The light penetrated the whole Gym, the temperature skyrocketed, and Sandslash stood in the middle of the arena, exposed and dumbfounded.

Blaine followed up quickly, "Now, Ninetales! SolarBeam!" Ninetales howled again and aimed its mouth directly at Sandslash; a tremendous beam of yellowish-white light shot from it and bombarded Sandslash harshly, dealing super-effective damage to the Ground-type.

"What?!" Dontae interjected, "A Grass-type attack?! Blaine was prepared for this! SolarBeam makes up for all of the Fire-type's weaknesses!"

"But this doesn't make sense!" Stacy replied, fretted at the situation, "SolarBeam needs to charge for a few minutes beforehand, doesn't it?"

"Not in the sun!" the Rogue supplemented, "Strong sunlight not only powers up Fire-type moves, but it cancels the need for SolarBeam to gather energy! Sandslash, conjure another Sandstorm!"

"Wh-shash!" Sandslash nodded, and distanced itself from Ninetales by moonwalking to the other side of the arena. Once again, it spun perfectly on the spot, and the stifling sunlight was extinguished, replaced by another furious dust devil.

"Now, use Slash!" the Rogue commanded, and Sandslash obeyed, racing in close to Ninetales and landing a powerful blow with its lengthened claws.

"Confuse Ray, now!" Blaine ordered, and right after the claws struck, Ninetales looked into Sandslash's direction and released a blinding light from its eyes, stupefying Sandslash and making it waver on the spot.

"No!" the Rogue lamented, "Hurry, Sandslash, finish it with Earthquake!" Sandslash tried to execute the move, but instead of slamming its claws into the ground, it slammed them against its own head, hurting itself.

"Now!" Blaine commanded, "Use Sunny Day again!" Ninetales obeyed and howled, calling the brutal sunlight back into play. "Excellent!" Blaine cheered, and followed up quickly, "Now, Flamethrower!" Ninetales' eyes then became dangerously fiery, and it unleashed a ferocious jet of fire at Sandslash, harshly damaging it.

"Sandslash!" the Rogue called out, "Quick, another Sandstorm!" Sandslash shook its head to regain its composure, and did so long enough to execute a clumsy spin. Once again, the blinding sun was replaced by blinding sands whipping through the air.

"Really?" Blaine taunted, "The same strategy again? HAH! Ninetales, Sunny Day, again!" Ninetales howled, and again, the sun outshone the sands and destroyed the dust devil, stifling the air once again. "Now," Blaine quickly followed up, "Use SolarBeam-"

"Sandstorm!"

Sandslash quickly whipped up yet another Sandstorm, canceling the sunlight and negating SolarBeam's main advantage. With no sunlight to bathe in, Ninetales was forced to gather solar energy and wait a bit while the move became ready to use.

This was the Rogue's chance, "Now, use Slash!" Sandslash cackled as it raced in to meet Ninetales, and raked its deadly claws against the Fox Pokémon. Ninetales whined, but maintained its concentration as the inside of its mouth began to glow with solar energy.

"The beam is ready, Ninetales!" Blaine commanded, "Fire, now!" Ninetales finally aimed its attack at Sandslash and fired; the yellow-white beam penetrated the thick sands of Sandslash's dust storm, but it was too late. Sandslash's Sand Veil saved it, and it hid perfectly within the cloud of sand.

That's when the Rogue took the battle, "Earthquake!"

Sandslash obeyed, and perfectly executed its powerful move this time around. Slamming its laws into the ground, Sandslash sent a rumbling tremor at Ninetales' feet, and the Fire-type collapsed, shaking and squealing in pain from the move's damage. Finally spent, Ninetales fell, unable to battle.

Blaine called across the battlefield as he returned his Pokémon, "Excellent moves, Detective! Executing a Sandstorm at the right moment was ingenious! But the battle has only begun!"

"So have I," the Rogue replied staunchly, "What's your next riddle, Blaine?"

The old Gym Leader grinned again before presenting his next puzzle, "'My main mane is my only mane. My horn is long, but makes no sound. I do not fast except when I am fast; who am I?'"

The Rogue pondered the answer longer than before, but it came to him almost as easily, "The answer is: you are a Rapidash!"

Blaine's grin widened as he switched Ninetales' Ball with another from his suit. With a PANG and a bright flash, a large, beautiful stallion stood on the battlefield. It had a long, dangerous-looking horn on its forehead, and instead of hair, it sported a mane and tail made entirely of reddish-orange flames. Rapidash neighed proudly and bucked its front legs, ready for battle.

The Rogue studied his opponent, then opened with the first move, "Sandslash, Slash it!"

"Fury Attack!" Blaine countered. Both Pokémon charged, Sandslash's claws lengthening and Rapidash rearing its lethal horn. The Slash attack caught Rapidash in the face for a Critical strike, while Rapidash's horn struck Sandslash three times harshly.

"Now, Earthquake!" the Rogue ordered quickly.

"Bounce, now!" Blaine responded, and Rapidash took a flying leap into the air. Sandslash launched its move too late, and the ground rumbled uselessly beneath the now-airborne Fire-Horse Pokémon. When Rapidash came back down, the Sandstorm ended, and its steel-hard hooves crashed down on top of Sandslash with perfect aim, crushing it and Paralyzing it.

"No!" the Rogue cried out, "Try to fight it, Sandslash! Try another Earthquake!" Sandslash overcame its injuries and Paralysis, but the Confusion it suffered from Ninetales' Confuse Ray hadn't worn off yet. It stumbled and fell back to the ground, hurting itself again.

That's when Blaine seized the chance, "Fury Attack, Rapidash!" The equine Fire-type neighed again and charged into the immobile Sandslash, striking it harshly five times with its horn. Sandslash flew after the fifth strike, and when it landed, it didn't get up.

The Rogue sighed wearily as he returned Sandslash in a flash of laser light, "Thank you, old friend. You did very well." He then swapped Sandslash's PokéBall with another, and opened it; in a flash, the Rogue's newly-caught Horsea stood at attention, a blue speck on the battlefield, but nevertheless ready for battle.

"HAH!" Blaine cackled confidently, "I knew you'd try to use a Water-type eventually! Rapidash, another Fury Attack!" Rapidash whinnied and charged again, aiming its horn for the Rogue's tiny Water-type.

"The Rogue made his countermeasure, "Smokescreen!" Horsea squealed excitedly and exhaled, producing a billowy cloud of smoke not unlike that of Charizard's own Smokescreen. The smoke covered both combatants, giving the much-smaller Horsea a great advantage; Rapidash's Fury Attack missed.

"Now, repeated Water Gun!" the Rogue commanded, and almost immediately, jets of water began to shoot out from the smoke cloud and strike Rapidash. The Fire Horse neighed furiously, unable to see its target and unable to counter properly.

"Get some air with Bounce!" Blaine ordered, and Rapidash leaped up again, making a Water Gun attack miss. When it came back down, however, it missed again, and Horsea's water attacks continued to pummel it.

"That's it! Sunny Day, Rapidash!" Blaine shouted, and Rapidash bucked up again as the harsh sunlight returned. "Now, use Overheat!" the Gym Leader commanded, and Rapidash released a ferocious whinny as it let loose a devastating stream of crimson fire at Horsea.

The Rogue quickly met the attack, "Horsea, use Hydro Pump!" Horsea squealed again and unleashed a powerful jet of water, much thicker and far more forceful than any Water Gun. Both monstrous attacks sailed past each other, and Horsea was engulfed in the hellish crimson flames, the damage close to critical. Rapidash, however, took far more damage, and the Fire-type whinnied in agony, weakened more than ever.

With both Pokémon near breaking point, the Rogue quickly took the game, "Finish it with Twister!" Horsea gave its most forceful squeal yet as it inhaled, and on the exhale, sent a powerful tornado of blue energy hurtling straight for Rapidash. The vicious gale struck and consumed the last of Rapidash's stamina; the horse-like creature's legs caved from underneath it, and it lie still, unable to go on.

"HAH! Impressive!" Blaine congratulated as he returned Rapidash in a flash of red light, "This battle is getting me fired up! I feel in the prime of my youth again!" He then quickly replaced Rapidash's Ball, "Now, Detective, for your third riddle: 'I used to be quite _lithe_, but you'll hear my _growl_ when you test my _legendary_ loyalty; who am I?'"

This one was the hardest riddle yet, and the Rogue spent much longer than before on it. The Rogue caught the emphasis of several words, put together the most obvious profile, and gave his answer, "You are an Arcanine!"

Dontae seemed to be getting annoyed by this time, "Don't wanna give the rest of us a chance to solve it, do ya?!"

Blaine's grin was the confirmation; throwing his third Ball, an Arcanine appeared in a flash of white light. Similar to Tanshin's Arcanine in almost every respect, Blaine's Arcanine crouched into a low attack position, growling as if to dare its foe to make a move.

The Rogue quickly made his substitution, "Horsea, come on back!" and returned the tuckered Water-type to its Ball in a flash of laser light. Switching out Horsea's Ball with a new one from his duster, the Rogue opened the new Ball with a PANG, and his new Kabuto stood on the battlefield to replace Horsea. It wasn't much larger than Horsea, and it was infinitely less energetic; it simply sat there like a brick, as if it were still a Fossil.

"HAH!" Blaine's usual cackle went off, "Another Type advantage, and a bigger one, too! You'd best hope it's been trained enough to handle me! Arcanine, Take Down!" Arcanine gave an empowering howl and raced in, readying for a powerful full-body plow.

"Kabuto, Sand-Attack!" the Rogue called out, and for what could easily have been the first time in millions of years, Kabuto moved. It spun around on the spot, blindingly fast, and kicked up a small cloud of sand straight into Arcanine's incoming face. The Legendary Pokémon yelped as the sand hit its eyes, and its Take Down missed entirely.

"Grrr!" Blaine growled in frustration, "Well, then, just try again! Another Take Down!" Arcanine growled as well, and executed another charge.

"Harden, now!" the Rogue called, and Kabuto, still stone-still after using Sand-Attack, suddenly gained a slick, shiny outer coating that protected it from Arcanine's move. The Take Down landed, but there was no damage that could easily be seen. The Rogue smiled a bit when he saw this, as it reminded him of when his Beedrill used the move.

"Very well, then!" Blaine announced loudly, "A change of tactics! ExtremeSpeed!" Arcanine received the command, then vanished. Mere seconds later, it rammed into Kabuto again, but the Shellfish Pokémon still staunchly stood its ground.

That's when the Rogue acted, "Mud Shot!" Kabuto then picked itself up just enough to see Arcanine with its beady black eyes, and sprayed the large canine with a dark brown, slimy substance that resembled mud. Arcanine backed away, whining and trying to wipe the muck off its fur. The Rogue followed up quickly, "Water Pulse!" Kabuto acted, aiming again and firing off a series of water orbs that expanded into rings as they flew into the air. Arcanine was bombarded with the water rings and suffered serious damage, but not nearly enough to bring it out of the fight.

That's when the sunlight faded, and Blaine restarted it again, "Sunny Day, Arcanine!" Arcanine howled, and the vicious rays of sunlight were back.

Dontae was even more annoyed now, but this time with Blaine, "Man, do all of his Pokémon know that stupid technique?! Stale moves! I call stale moves!"

The battlers ignored him and continued, with Blaine calling out triumphantly, "Flamethrower!" Arcanine threw back its head and shot a titanic jet of fire at Kabuto. The small Rock-type was struck by the flames, but unshaken and undeterred.

"Kabuto, Sand-Attack again!" the Rogue ordered, and Kabuto spun again, blasting Arcanine in the face with more sand. "Now, another Water Pulse!" the detective followed through, and Kabuto launched another set of water-rings at Arcanine. Being struck by so many attacks right in a row seemed to discourage the Fire-type a bit, but it was clear that Arcanine wasn't about to go down without a fight.

"Arcanine, another Flamethrower!" Blaine called, but when Arcanine made the attempt to attack, instead it tripped and fell flat on its snout. Kabuto's last Water Pulse had Confused it; this was the Rogue's chance.

"Mud Shot, again!" the Rogue commanded, and Kabuto sprayed Arcanine with another stream of slimy mud, making the larger beast growl angrily.

"ExtremeSpeed!" Blaine commanded again, and Arcanine vanished, only to reappear seconds later and strike. Despite not taking a lot of damage, Kabuto was showing signs of fatigue; these multiple attacks were adding up, and quickly.

"Water Pulse, one more time!" the Rogue called out, and Kabuto sent another series of pulsing water-rings at Arcanine just as it flew in for another Take Down. Take Down missed, and Water Pulse found its mark, sending Arcanine flying. Arcanine found itself wavering on the spot as it tried to make one last attack, but found that it could not. One last time, it tripped, fell forward, and hurt itself in its own Confusion, taking the last of its health.

"Well, I'll be!" Blaine exclaimed as Arcanine vanished in a flash of red light, "A little Kabuto taking on my big strong Arcanine and winning! You've impressed me quite a bit, Detective!" Swapping PokéBalls one last time, Blaine divulged his final riddle, "This is it, Detective. My game ends with this riddle: 'my fiery disposition keeps me from running, but _magma_ tends to be my best _booby_ trap; who am I?'"

"Oh, come on, that one was just stupid!" Dontae barked from the sidelines. Stacy and Charmander could do nothing but sigh and shake their heads.

The Rogue had to admit that this one stumped him somewhat. He knew there couldn't be too many Fire-type Pokémon remaining that Blaine could own, but the perplexing description threw him off a bit. This forced him to think back to every Pokémon he'd ever encountered, eliminate every non-Fire-type, and whittle it down to whichever kinds Blaine hadn't used yet. The Rogue compared the few possibilities to the clues he was given, and was suddenly reminded of a Fire-type deployed by a Biker that battled his Golbat weeks earlier . . . .

"Magmar! You are a Magmar!" the Rogue finally deduced.

Opening the PokéBall of his last challenger with a PANG, Blaine confirmed the Rogue's answer with another sly grin. In a flash of light, a Magmar stood as Blaine's last Pokémon, growling with all the fury of a raging inferno, "Maaaaaaaaaaaaag-maaaaaaaaaaaaaaar . . ."

The Rogue was unintimidated, and began the battle in earnest, "Kabuto, Sand-Attack!" Kabuto spun around on the spot again, and struck Magmar with the blinding sand. Although the sand struck, Magmar's gaze was still steady.

Especially as it readied for its next attack. "Use Fire Blast!" Blaine commanded victoriously.

Magmar growled as it threw back its head, "Maaaaaaaag-maaaaaaaaaar . . ." It launched the attack, and a blazing construct of pure fire was sprayed from its pursed lips and sailed through the air. It was shaped into five points, almost like a star, but far more like a Japanese symbol. The fiery construct flew through the air, but Kabuto ducked down by laying flat, dodging the move just in time.

The Rogue made his next attack count, "Now, Water Pulse!"

"ThunderPunch, Magmar!"

Kabuto shot another series of water rings at Magmar, and the Spitfire Pokémon bravely weathered the Water-type move as its entire right arm suddenly became coated with sizzling bolts of electricity. Magmar charged, balling that paw into a fist and slamming it down on top of Kabuto's shell. This was the last straw; Kabuto's remaining integrity fell, and its fainted state hardly looked different than the way it looked conscious.

Blaine cackled again while the Rogue returned Kabuto, "HAH! You weren't expecting that, were you, Detective? With a tiny Horsea in your arsenal, my Magmar is sure to score another win, and I'd be willing to bet Sandslash was your last Ground-type! One more win after that, and the battle is mine!"

The Rogue knew Blaine was right. Horsea and Kabuto were both Water-types, and were thus his main trump card during this battle. And with Sandslash (his only Pokémon that was immune to Electric attacks) down early in the battle, only Horsea and one other Pokémon were available to him. The Rogue just had to figure out who would be the best match.

Opting to weaken Blaine's powerful Magmar as much as possible before bringing out his fourth challenger, the Rogue swapped out Kabuto's PokéBall for Horsea's and summoned the still-weak little Dragon Pokémon in a flash. Horsea stood quietly and at attention, despite being injured from its battle with Rapidash.

Blaine started quickly and predictably, "Sunny Day, Magmar!"

"Maaaaaaag-maaaaaaar!" the Fire-type roared at the air above it, and the blistering sunlight returned with a vengeance.

The Rogue countered, "Horsea, Smokescreen!" Horsea squealed and blew another cloud of smoke from its snout, covering the whole field and obscuring both battlers.

That's when both competitors made the finishing blow: "Magmar! Fire Blast!"

"Horsea, Hydro Pump!"

Magmar growled as it blew another fiery construct at Horsea, while Horsea unleashed another epic jet of water. Both attacks careened through the air, both attacks sailed past each other.

And both attacks missed.

"Quick, use Twister!" the Rogue quickly countered, and Horsea exhaled again, creating another furious vortex of blue energy. It struck Magmar, and the Spitfire Pokémon cowered slightly, Flinching at the attack. The Rogue followed up hastily, "Water Gun!" Horsea squealed again and sprayed Magmar with another, smaller jet of water. Just like with Kabuto's Water Pulse, it wasn't enough.

"ThunderPunch!" Blaine took the battle, and Magmar's fist became coated in sizzling lightning once again. The attack connected, and Horsea was punched in the face by the powerful, type-advantageous attack. The tiny blue Pokémon flew across the battlefield, landed roughly on the ground, and remained there, fainted.

It was down to one Pokémon per side now, just like all of the Rogue's Gym battles up until now. The Rogue almost went with Golbat, but remembered that Magmar's ThunderPunch would be an advantage against a Flying-type. That left two choices, and both had their strengths and weaknesses. In the end, the Rogue chose experience over function, and took a chance with a gambit: "Hey Blaine! I have a riddle for you! Can you solve it?"

Blaine then cracked a sly grin, "HAH! A riddle for the riddle master? How very interesting! Do tell, Detective!"

The Rogue smiled right back at the old man as he recited, "I have humble beginnings. My first two steps are rough, but I no longer have to take steps at all. Who am I?"

Blaine tried to hide what the Rogue could see as a perplexed look in his face. There was a long silence as Blaine pondered the answer to the Rogue's question. After a few seconds, though, the Rogue simply took his last PokéBall, opened it, and with a PANG, his strong and proud Charizard stood at attention, ready for combat.

Blaine observed the reptilian creature, and grinned wildly, "HAH! Quite the clever riddle indeed, Detective! I imagine the 'first two steps' refer not just to Charizard's pre-evolutions, but the first two Gyms in this region? Very clever indeed! But your Charizard is at an equal disadvantage to my Magmar's ThunderPunch! Are you sure you can win at this point?"

The Rogue met Blaine's grin with one of his own, "I've never been more sure of anything, Blaine."

"HAH!" Blaine cackled once again, "Then have at thee! Magmar, Confuse Ray!"

"Smokescreen!"

Charizard quickly exhaled, and the thick, billowy smoke covered the field again, obscuring Magmar's view. The Spitfire Pokémon's eyes had glowed white, and the dizzying beam was aimed right at Charizard, but the outcome was obvious. Having been bombarded with Kabuto's Sand-Attack and a Smokescreen each from Charizard and Horsea, Magmar's aim could hardly be trusted anymore at all.

That, and Charizard was also airborne at the time.

"Aerial Ace, now!" the Rogue commanded, and Charizard performed a perfect aerial loop, diving harshly into Magmar and making the other Fire-type grunt in pain.

"No, Magmar!" Blaine called out to it worriedly, "Use ThunderPunch once again, and you can finish it!" Magmar shook off the hit and nodded, charging its fist with electricity once again.

"Another Smokescreen, Charizard!" the Rogue called, and Charizard blanketed the field with another cloud of blackness. Magmar took a flying leap to reach its winged foe, but the Smokescreen had filled the entire Gym up to the ceiling by now. The fading of Magmar's Sunny Day making the smoke seem all the darker made it even clearer; Magmar's aim was thrown off again.

"Another Aerial Ace!" the Rogue called, and Charizard looped in the air again before ramming into Magmar again. This was Blaine's chance, though, and the countermeasure was made.

"Now, ThunderPunch!" Blaine bellowed, and in the split-second it took for Charizard's attack to connect, Magmar electrified its fist and struck a return blow, knocking Charizard out of the air and sending vibrations all through its body. Its difficulty in getting back up proved that the ThunderPunch had Paralyzed it.

"Most impressive!" Blaine congratulated, "Taking a ThunderPunch and still ready for more! But this is where it ends, Detective! Fire Blast!" Magmar threw back its head and blasted another star-shaped construct of fire, aiming directly for the rigid Charizard.

"Flamethrower!" the detective countered, and Charizard weathered its injuries to blast the fire construct with its own deadly stream of fire. The flames met in midair, and seemed to intensify the air all over the Gym to unbearable levels. The Fire Blast approached Charizard more and more, but the Flame Pokémon's firepower surged as it put all its effort into repelling the attack. Finally, with a titanic roar, Charizard put every ounce of power into its flame, and the Flamethrower actually broke through the Fire Blast; the midsection of the fiery construct was completely blown away, leaving all five points unattached and flying into random points all over the Gym, all of them missing Charizard. The hellishly powerful Flamethrower then struck a suddenly surprised Magmar.

Battlers and spectators alike were flabbergasted. Even Charizard seemed aghast at the amount of raw power it had just put out. The Rogue was as surprised as anyone witnessing, but shook it off the soonest in order to press on for the victory, "Use Metal Claw!" Charizard flexed its whole body as it roared and charged, holding itself aloft on its wings just inches above the ground as its claws grew longer and shinier. The Metal Claw struck viciously, and Magmar was thrown a few feet into the air by the attack, landing harshly with a weary, weakened groan, "Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag . . . . ." It was so weak, it could not even continue speaking, and lie still where it was, exhausted and defeated.

Blaine let out a long sigh and leaned on his cane as he returned Magmar, "Ahh! I've burned down to nothing! Your prowess amazes me, Detective, for you have bested me both mentally and physically!" The older man then quickly approached the Rogue, taking off his fedora and exposing his shiny bald head, "Therefore, sir, you have just earned the VolcanoBadge!" Blaine then gently picked something off the band of his hat and offered it to the Rogue, it was small, red, and shaped like a ball of fire.

The Rogue took it, brought out his wallet, and pinned it to the inside. His Badges now made a long line across the inside of his wallet, and was one space away from lining the leather from end to end. This final badge was what the Rogue most desperately needed to enter the Indigo League tournament, where he would at last face the madman he'd had in his sights for weeks. The Rogue still found himself shivering at the deathly cold, yet hellishly vicious voice he'd heard on his PokéCell mere hours before. The voice that mocked and patronized him. The voice that claimed to be predicting his every move. The voice that urged him to make his move quickly, or risk endangering countless lives at the Plateau, Trainer and spectator, human and Pokémon alike.

_Kaine has to be stopped,_ the Rogue thought as he stared at that last space next to his newly-earned VolcanoBadge, not letting Dontae, Stacy, and Charmander's celebration behind him distract him. _He just has to be stopped. Even if he knows my every move, I will stop him! The fates of so many people and Pokémon depend on me . . . ._


	24. 24 - Gym and Vigor

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#24: Gym and Vigor

Early morning light shone through the windows of the Pokémon Center on Cinnabar Island, and Tanshin slowly stirred and awoke on the couch in the lobby. He was looking forward to watching his son participate in this Gym battle against Blaine, and hoped he would watch the young detective win spectacularly. Quickly, he got up, rushed to don his duster hanging on the coatrack, and raced out the door, heading straight for the Gym.

Only to find that a ship had left the docks some yards away.

_Hold on,_ Tanshin stopped himself, _That's the ship they were supposed to leave for Pallet Town on. Did I miss the battle?_ He soon confirmed his own question when he observed a blue speck flapping all around above the ship, as if in a celebratory way. Tanshin knew that this could only be a Golbat, and he found himself sighing disappointedly.

Knowing his son wouldn't leave without the Badge he needed from Cinnabar's Gym, Tanshin deduced that he had missed the battle, and the victor was sailing away right now. _He's grown into a fine Trainer after all,_ he thought to himself, _and I suppose I can understand why he left without me. But getting him to stop being angry with me, that will take some time. That is, if I can somehow tell him the truth about why I left._

_Trouble is, I don't know if I can . . . ._

Despite taking three days, the ship had arrived at the docks south of Pallet Town; the sleepy little hamlet could be easily seen in the distance. As soon as the ship docked, the crowd on board went ashore, including the Rogue, Dontae and Stacy. Far above them, Golbat dove down through the air, landing and allowing an excited Charmander to touch down on the ground.

"Whoo-hoo!" Dontae cheered, "Pallet Town, baby! We're almost home, Charmander!" Beside him, Charmander grinned, and began dancing as Dontae started singing, "On the road to Viridian City! Meet my friends along the way! On the road to Viridian City! I got a badge and the power to play!"

The Rogue had just gotten off the phone with authorities in Fuchsia City, and they had confirmed that his motorcycle had been delivered to his home in Viridian, and was awaiting him there. This would make things much easier; the less time it took to get to the Plateau, the better.

The Rogue's thoughts were interrupted by someone calling out to them from a distance, and everyone in the group looked toward the voice. Professor Oak was running up to the group, calling the Rogue's name and waving madly, as if in a state of panic that reminded the Rogue of the day the professor had given the Rogue this very mission. "Detective!" The professor called out, "Detective! Thank goodness you've arrived!"

The Rogue was confused at this sudden greeting. How did Professor Oak know he would be here? Who told him he was coming, and when? "Uh, greetings, Professor," the Rogue tentatively responded when the older man had caught up with them, "So nice of you to meet us." He suddenly remembered to introduce his companions, as they had joined him after the Rogue had left Pallet Town, "Oh, yes! Professor, this is Stacy, an important witness to my case," he gestured to her, and she smiled and waved cordially, "And this is Dontae, Gym Leader of Viridian City."

"Oh, no need to introduce us!" Dontae interrupted, "Professor Oak here gave me my starter! If not for him, Charmander and I would never have met!"

Charmander confirmed this by excitedly waving to the professor, "Char-char-mander! Char!"

"Yes, nice to see you are well, Dontae," Professor Oak addressed him, then each of the rest of the group hurriedly, "And Stacy, lovely to meet you, dear. Golbat, congratulations on your evolution." The professor then addressed the Rogue frantically, "Detective! I have urgent news! I've just had another message from Kaine!"

The Rogue felt his heart race, and wondered for a moment if the professor was as eerily chilled by the madman's voice as he was. "What's the situation, Professor?" the Rogue immediately questioned, "What did he say to you? And how did you know to meet me here today to tell me?"

Everyone in the group seemed to suffer a collective shiver at the professor's reply, "I didn't. _He_ did."

The Rogue could do nothing but widen his eyes as Professor Oak produced a cell phone from his lab coat pocket. He pushed a few buttons in order to check the voicemail, then another button to activate speakerphone; the phone first produced its own voice, relaying the date and time of the message: three days ago, on the night the group had arrived on Cinnabar Island.

The whole group shivered again at the sound of the voice the Rogue had heard that very night; cold as ice, but harsh as Hellfire: "To the esteemed Professor Oak: expect the cunning detective to arrive in Pallet Town by ship in three days' time. Meet him at the edge of town by morning, and play this message for him. And be sure to remember the look on his face when he hears it!" The message abruptly ended, the phone offered to replay the message, and when the professor turned it off and put it away, a heavy silence fell on the group.

The Rogue glanced at Golbat; even the normally-composed Bat Pokémon was wide-eyed and sweating. Another glance, and the Rogue saw that Stacy had her hands over her mouth, and was shaking in fear. This couldn't be happening. Knowing the detective's progress in earning badges was one thing, but to correctly predict when he'd return to Pallet Town, right down to the time, day and transportation, was utterly frightening. Only someone who was on that island at the very moment they left could have known such exact detail. Someone who must've known the Rogue would be at Cinnabar Island, and could therefore only be following him the whole trip, perhaps even during the entire case. And for a long, distressing pause, the question on everybody's mind that wouldn't dare escape anyone's lips: who could it be?

"Oh, and Dontae," Professor Oak continued, despite obvious fear making his voice tremble, "I received a bit of information for you as well." He then took Dontae aside to tell him, while the Rogue glanced at Stacy once again. She was still shaking, and now her eyes were swimming in tears.

"He knows everything," she said ominously, fear clenching her breaking voice, "Someone is telling him everything. Everything we've ever done. Whoever he is, he's seen everything! He could be watching us right now! I'm . . . . I'm so scared!" She then began fully sobbing, burying her face in her hands and throwing herself into the Rogue's arms, her shaking only worsening despite the comfort she sought. In any other situation, the Rogue would have felt the usual detestable awkwardness he felt while being hugged. But this psychotic, shockingly ubiquitous terrorist was beginning to scare even the hardened detective; he'd never gone up against such a brilliantly imposing foe, one that had already driven him close to breaking down just as badly as Stacy had. Slowly, he felt himself reach his arms up and hold her close, tenderly, as if wordlessly vowing that nothing would ever happen to her, or vowing that he would die protecting her, if that's what it took. For the first time since meeting her, the Rogue felt his feelings for Stacy take him over, and holding her soft, fragile body against his own as she sobbed was suddenly not so taboo anymore.

After a few seconds, both of them jumped when they heard Dontae's amplified voice, "HE DID WHAT!?"

The Rogue was now racing at the briskest of paces down a stretch of road to Viridian City. Stacy was huffing and whinging next to him, all of her efforts going into just barely keeping up with the Rogue. Above them both, Golbat flapped its wings madly while it carried Charmander, stirring up a vicious wind and kicking up dust clouds whenever they passed over dirt patches. Far ahead of them all, rage seeming to have transformed him into a completely different person, was Dontae, tromping through grass and bounding down the road, not bothering in the slightest to check the condition of his friends, or even his worried Fire-type Pokémon.

"I'll get him!" Dontae bellowed the whole way down, "I'll get him for this! This is the last time I let him humiliate me! He's not taking it from me!"

Despite being nearly out of breath, Stacy's curiosity got the better of her, "What . . . what's going . . . . on, Detective? Why . . . is Dontae so upset . . . ?"

The Rogue had a pretty good idea, but it would have to wait. Getting answers out of Dontae first was more important, and at the surprisingly fast rate they were running, they would learn their answers in Viridian City very shortly.

In less than half an hour, the swiftly-moving group reached the Viridian City limits, and in less than a minute from then, they had all reached the Viridian City Gym. The Rogue saw the plain facade of the Gym, and felt a vague sense of deja vu in returning; nearly a month ago, this was the Gym he had approached first, when his campaign against Kaine started. Although he had been somewhat disheartened when his meager team had drawn with Dontae's in their battle, he had gained valuable allies that day, and would admittedly have not gotten far in his endeavors were it not for Dontae and his plucky Charmander.

But the Rogue's sharp instincts told him that the confrontation that was about to follow was not his to make.

Once Golbat and Charmander had landed, everyone in the group jumped again at Dontae's rage-fueled voice, "ROMAAAAAAAAAAAN! GET OUT HERE, YOU THIEVING BASTARD! GET OUT HERE NOW!" This made the Rogue and Stacy glance at each other, and beside them, Golbat glanced at Charmander. The little Fire-type, however, seemed as angry as Dontae at that point, and bravely walked up next to its Trainer, waiting for Dontae's quarry to come walking through the doors of the Gym.

After only a few seconds, the Gym doors opened, and a young man emerged from them, a contemptible look of arrogance on his face. He looked to be slightly older than Stacy, but younger than the Rogue. Amazingly, he resembled Dontae in many ways, right down to the rounded ears, button nose, and dirty blonde hair. The only differences between the two were that the older boy was slightly taller and had fairer-colored eyes. The Rogue suddenly thought back to Kaine's taunting phone call back on Cinnabar Island, and instantly realized that this must be the one he referred to when he spoke to Dontae. This must be Dontae's older brother.

"Hey! Donnie-boy's come home!" the older boy greeted snidely, "Just in time to see me crowned the new Viridian City Gym Leader!" He then sized up the rest of the group, his gaze staying on the Rogue for a while, and continued his snarky tone, "Is that your new boyfriend?"

The Rogue scowled, and Dontae was screaming again, "Damn you, Roman! I _knew_ you'd try something as soon as I left! I _knew_ I shouldn't have taken my eyes off this Gym!"

The older boy merely smiled with that same annoying grin that reminded the Rogue vaguely of Verdus. "Well, just because you have a new lifestyle doesn't mean I'm disowning you, little bro," he said with that same contemptuous voice, then proceeded to walk directly up to Stacy, "But that _does_ mean you and I can get to know each other, babycakes." He then reached behind Stacy and gave her backside a swift slap, making her yelp a bit. She covered the slapped spot and backed up two steps, a look of disturbed surprise on her face.

Despite the innate rage he felt at seeing Stacy harassed, the Rogue couldn't help but see the family resemblance; Roman was a flirt as well, but was also far more brash and inappropriate than Dontae.

Dontae, visibly trying to contain his incongruous temper, attempted to explain the situation, "Guys, the festering pustule in front of you is my older brother, Roman. He's been a consistent thorn in my side since I was born, always bullying me and bragging about what an expert he was on Pokémon. His starter was a Charmander, too, and he always used it to help him terrorize me, like burning my clothes and Scratching me when I wasn't looking. So, when I turned ten, I got a Charmander and battled him to prove I was better, and to shut him up once and for all."

"And I handed your scrawny ass to you, didn't I?" Roman suddenly stepped in, "It was Charmander versus Charmander for awhile, but the piss-stain went in without any battle experience, and my Charmander evolved in the middle of the battle! Donnie-boy walked away from that battle with his tail between his legs and his gonads missing!"

The Rogue saw Dontae's Charmander angrily rubbing the scar over its right eye, and knew with full certainty that his earlier hypothesis about Charmander holding a grudge against Charmeleon was correct.

Dontae growled as he continued, "I worked for the rest of my life to beat him in battle after that. We both specialized in Fire-types, so I expanded my studies to include Water-types. I even caught a Squirtle to use on him, which is the very same Wartortle you've seen in my team. But before I could battle him again, the Gym Leader position was up for grabs, so I sent my application into the Pokémon League. I couldn't wait to rub it in my brother's face when I got the letter saying I was the number-one candidate."

"Then the dumb-ass decided to up and leave!" Roman concluded, that same smart-aleck tone continuing to irk everyone in the group, "I couldn't believe anything could pull him away from this job! So when he left, the Plateau considered me for the job, and I jumped right into it! No wimps allowed at _my_ Gym!"

Dontae was staring daggers at Roman, his fists shaking at his sides. "I'm taking _my_ Gym back," the younger Trainer's voice was a deathly growl, "You're not gonna take this away from me, too. I challenge you to a battle!"

Roman's face contorted into fake shock, "Oh, no! Dippy Donnie is gonna beat me up! Oh, help me!" His tone quickly changed from phony fear back to aggravating cockiness, "You lost to me _embarrassingly_ last time we battled! Don't expect me to think you're any better than me now!"

Dontae's eyes were resolute, "Pokémon League regulations state that if there are two candidates up for Leader status, one has the right to challenge the other for control of the Gym. I'm much stronger than I used to be, big bro. Don't expect me to believe you're scared to find out just how much stronger!"

Roman's eyes widened slightly, as if vaguely impressed by Dontae's bravery. At this time, the Gym doors burst open, and an Eevee (the third, unclaimed Eevee the group had saved from the Celadon Game Corner) came running out, fur blackened and squealing in fear. Behind it, a very scary-looking Charmeleon bounded toward it, shooting small jets of crimson flames at the little Normal-type's tail. Eevee squealed louder with each jet of fire that torched its tail, but Charmeleon caught up quickly each time it tried to run farther away.

"Ah, right on time!" Roman announced proudly, "Vulcan! Front and center!" The Charmeleon, responding to its nickname, came bounding toward its Trainer and stood menacingly at attention, a devious glare in its eyes when it took a look at Dontae's Charmander. The tortured Eevee seemed to remember the Rogue and Stacy, and scampered toward them, leaping into Stacy's arms and sobbing.

Dontae could only continue to growl in disgust, "Same old Roman, using your Pokémon to pick on things smaller than you. Doesn't being a prick get old after a while?"

Roman's comeback was appalling, "Does sucking one get old?" In front of him, Vulcan began to laugh uproariously, spewing black smoke from its nostrils.

Charmander growled in contempt of its evolved counterpart, and stood in front of Dontae, as if volunteering to battle right then and there, "Char! Char-char-charmander! Mander-mander! Char!"

Dontae easily understood his partner's words, and nodded, "You got it, buddy! I wanna shut this guy up, too!" He then aimed his rage at Roman, "Well? Get yourself ready to lose, Ro-bro! One-on-one, you and me! Unless you wanna cower inside and bully your opponents instead!"

"God, you're such a whiny bitch!" Roman sneered as he and Vulcan took one side of a makeshift battlefield outside the Gym, "If you really want me to emasculate you again, I guess there's no stopping you!"

Dontae scowled as he took his position far opposite Roman, "There won't be any stopping me from crushing you into the dirt!" Charmander's tail-flame intensified, and it growled and bared its claws in fierce agreement.

The Rogue, Golbat, Stacy and Eevee glanced between the two opponents, waiting for one of them to make the first move. Stacy suddenly intervened on Dontae's behalf, "Wait, Dontae! You have three Water-types, why don't you use one of them? You can beat him much easier!"

Dontae shook his head, "If I know Roman, using a Water-type won't make a difference. Besides," his determined eyes were cast onto Charmander, "you want to beat him as much as I do, don't you, partner?"

Charmander nodded, its fiery tail burning ever brighter, "Char! Charmander!"

Roman scoffed and shrugged, "Suit yourself! But I don't wanna hear you cry! Vulcan, start off with Brick Break!"

Dontae made his first command within milliseconds, "Dragon Claw!"

Both Fire-types raced toward each other, their eyes burning furiously with the desire to win. Vulcan raised an arm and prepared to slam it down onto Charmander's head, while Charmander's claws lengthened and formed deadly blue fire all around. As Vulcan chopped down, Charmander slashed upward, and both attacks met each other, dealing massive damage to each other's users.

Dontae didn't miss a beat, "Use Flamethrower!"

Roman matched Dontae's move with his own, "Overheat!"

At once, Charmander took a breath and cast a blazing jet of orange fire at Vulcan, while the evolved Pokémon breathed a ferocious crimson stream at Charmander. The Fire-type attacks sailed past one another and struck their intended targets, but the winner of this clash of the flames was obvious. The stronger attack coming from the more evolved Pokémon struck Charmander harshly, while Charmander's Flamethrower seemed like it hadn't done much damage to Vulcan at all.

Dontae didn't let this slow him down, "Hurry, use Dragon Claw again!"

Roman almost laughed as he came back with "Protect!"

Charmander sped toward its opponent, igniting its lengthening claws with sapphire flames once again. However, just before the attack struck, Vulcan had conjured a glassy-blue bubble of energy around it, protecting it from the attack, much like the Primeape belonging to the Biker Boss in Cerulean City had. Charmander's claws scraped harmlessly against the barrier, and Vulcan was untouched.

Roman followed up quickly, "Now, Vulcan, use ThunderPunch!" Vulcan grinned devilishly and charged, curling its claws into a fist that quickly became coated in electricity, much like Blaine's Magmar. Vulcan threw a punch, and Dontae's Charmander was hit hard and sent flying.

"What did he tell you?" Roman bragged stridently, "My Charmeleon's ThunderPunch would've cut down his precious Water-types like they were nothing! Use it again, big guy!" Vulcan obeyed swiftly, throwing another punch into Charmander before it could get up from the last attack. This ThunderPunch sent it flying farther, and Charmander skidded to a halt just in front of the Viridian Gym.

"No!" Stacy called out worriedly, "Hang in there, Charmander! You can win! I know you can!" But the small Lizard Pokémon could barely get up from these relentless attacks, and remained where it was, on the verge of fainting.

"Like I said," Roman said with triumphant smugness, "I don't wanna hear you cry! OVERHEAT!" Vulcan threw its head back, and the crimson fire tore through the air, striking Charmander and the whole area around it, blackening the dirt and a patch of the brick outside of the Gym. After a few seconds, the flames died down, and all were prepared to see Charmander unconscious and defeated.

Instead, they saw a hole.

Where Charmander had once been, a large hole stood out against the tannish-brown dirt, having seemed to have swallowed Charmander, thus protecting it from Vulcan's attack.

"What the hell?!" Roman bellowed as if he had been denied something he wanted, "Where'd the little snot-rag go?!" Right then, as if on cue, the earth beneath Vulcan rumbled and tore apart, and Charmander sprang from this hole, ramming into Vulcan and causing massive damage.

"Yes!" Dontae cheered, "Way to go, little buddy, you learned Dig! Now, move in for another attack!" Charmander moved in, indeed, but another new attack was being made in the meantime. A small fireball was forming in Charmander's mouth, and when it had reached the proper distance, the tiny Pokémon launched a leviathan of a fireball that slowly morphed into five-pointed form—the form of Fire Blast.

"Pshh!" Roman scoffed, "Doesn't mean a thing! Protect!" Vulcan responded quickly, conjuring another clear-blue shield, easily protecting it from the enormously powerful Fire-type attack.

That's when Dontae made his move, "Use Dig again!" Charmander dove quickly into the ground, moving its paws blindingly fast and digging another hole into the ground.

"No!" Roman complained, "No, no, no! Vulcan, Protect again!" Vulcan tried projecting another blue bubble around it, but a few seconds after it materialized, it fizzled out like a broken neon light bulb and disappeared.

The Rogue was impressed by Dontae's ploy, "He played on Protect's weakness! Successive use of Protect cuts down its chance of success by half! Using Dig right in a row was a perfect excuse to give Charmeleon enough time to use Protect again!" The Rogue soon found that he was right; seconds after Protect faded away, Charmander burst out of the ground beneath Vulcan again, damaging it heavily with the Ground-type attack.

Roman appeared to be stunned, "Wha- . . . . . how . . . . . but, you're weak. I know you are . . . . . you're a weak little baby. You always used to be . . . . ."

"Not anymore!" Dontae bellowed in triumph, "Charmander, Dragon Claw!"

"CHAR!" Charmander cried out as its claws ignited once again, the blue flames dancing around them. Charmander swung upward hard, raking Vulcan's face and sending the evolved Pokémon flying ten feet in the air and crashing back to the ground. Vulcan propped itself up on its paws, struggling to get up onto its feet. All it could do, though, was allow all in attendance to see that it had three large scratch marks across its left eye; with that, Roman's Charmeleon's arms caved, it flopped back down onto the ground, and moved no more.

Almost immediately, Charmander began dancing and cheering, celebrating its come-from-behind win. Stacy cheered alongside it, and even Golbat swooped next to its Fire-type friend to offer its congratulations. The Rogue smiled, knowing fully well who he'd be facing in his final Gym battle.

Dontae approached Roman, his well-deserved victory grin aimed right at his older brother, "Viridian Gym is mine. Step down, Ro-bro."

Roman's shock left quickly, and his smugness returned with a heap of indignity alongside it, "The hell I will! You may have beaten me, but nobody else knows that! It's not like the Pokémon League saw any of that!"

"They most certainly did," the Rogue spoke up, making everyone look his way, "You didn't catch it, but I took video of the entire battle with my PokéCell and sent it directly to the Plateau. Any second now, they should let us know their final decision." After only a couple of seconds, the Rogue's PokéCell beeped, now carrying the return answer the Rogue had predicted. Bringing it up onto the screen, he read the quick answer out loud: "'Thank you for submitting this video. Our decision on selecting the Viridian City Gym Leader had been made before our inability to contact Dontae, but this only justifies our earlier judgment. As of this moment, Dontae is the official Gym Leader of Viridian City. Tell Dontae to expect the paperwork tomorrow.'"

The Rogue walked toward the two brothers and showed the screen to Roman, a smug look on his own face as Roman saw the bold letters of the message. Roman, as well as his now-conscious Charmeleon, saw the message, seeming to read and re-read it over and over again. It took Roman several minutes to process it, and the Rogue wasn't entirely sure he had. In any case, he took another few steps toward Roman, an imposing smile crossing his face, "One more thing, sir. You seem to enjoy stealing, bullying the weak, and harassing young women; to me, this is the scumbag trinity. Dare I remind you that I am often employed by the Viridian Police Department? Should I hear of any more such incidents connected to you," he produced a PokéBall from his duster and summoned his Charizard in a flash of light, "I will prosecute you to the limit of the law. If you're lucky."

Charizard craned its neck forward, its own face grinning deviously as its draconic snout was within scant inches of Roman's face. The larger Fire-type then suddenly released an ear-shattering roar that made both Roman and Vulcan whine pathetically, scaring them both to the point of losing control of bodily functions. Indeed, as soon as Charizard quieted down, the area was struck hard with two vastly different odors of urine. Dontae and Charmander howled with laughter, Stacy covered her giggling mouth with her hands, and even Golbat grinned as it closed its eyes and shook its head.

Satisfied that all was well on this front, the Rogue addressed his group, "Right then, everyone. We can get through Victory Road in a few days if we really work hard enough, which means we're a little ahead of schedule. We all need a few hours of rest from all this non-stop traveling, so why don't we all spend the day here. Dontae needs to get his response from the Plateau tomorrow anyway, so he and I can battle in the morning." On the subject of who would win this battle, the Rogue did not say; that would have to wait until the battle.

Everyone agreed, and dispersed from the area to prepare lodging arrangements. As the Rogue sauntered to his own home, he was approached by Dontae. "Thanks for your help back there," he said, that rare sincerity in his voice, "Now I owe you _another_ one, I guess."

"Just do me one favor," the Rogue answered him simply, "Give me a battle to remember. Don't hold back. I know that last badge is important, but Kaine won't go easy on me. And neither should you."

Dontae merely nodded, a determined smile drawn well on his face.

After the rest of the day and their first decent night's sleep in weeks, the group was gathered outside the front of the Viridian Gym once again. Stacy was only too eager to stay at the Rogue's home (she had slept in his bed, while the detective had elected to sleep in a chair), and Dontae had stayed at the Gym, his training for this battle unaffected by his reignited sibling rivalry with Roman. Roman, Vulcan, Stacy and the third Eevee stood off to the side, waiting for the battle to begin. Both opponents stood staunchly across from one another, their respective Pokémon partners next to them, and were both about to send in their first Pokémon into battle.

Dontae unclipped his first PokéBall from his belt, "Well, seeing as how we both have a full team of six, it'll take a hell of a lot longer for the battle to end. What do you say we keep it simple with a three-on-three battle?"

The Rogue nodded as he took his first Ball from his duster, "Sounds good. Just make sure to select your three wisely. I'll be battling to win. You know that."

Dontae smiled confidently, "So will I." Both Trainers then drew their arms back and threw; the flash of white light and PANG sound filled the area. The third Eevee saw the two opponents, and squealed with glee. On the Rogue's side, Jolteon stood quietly and patiently; representing Dontae, Flareon sized up its opponent and barked viciously.

The final battle for a badge began.

"Flamethrower!"

"Thunder!"

Flareon and Jolteon, respectively, each loosed a maelstrom as their starting move. Flareon scorched the air with a brutal stream of fire, while a concussive thunderdrop announced Jolteon's blinding lightning bolt, much as it had whenever the Rogue's Raichu used the move. Both moves found their targets, and both Eevee evolutions were stricken harshly by the destructive attacks.

Both Trainers followed up quickly. "Thunder Wave!" the Rogue commanded.

Dontae matched the Rogue's play quickly, "Smog!"

Jolteon crouched down and emitted a wave of static electricity from its sharpened pelt, striking Flareon directly. Flareon, at the same time, took a deep breath and exhaled a deep purple cloud of smoke that surrounded and suffocated Jolteon. Flareon moaned as it tried to move, while Jolteon coughed and exhaled in purple clouds. These respective moves would influence the match; Flareon was Paralyzed, and Jolteon was Poisoned.

"Wow," Stacy mumbled as she and Eevee watched in awe, "I've never seen them like this before. I . . . I'm not sure who to cheer for . . . I want the Rogue to get his last badge, but Dontae's my friend, too . . . ."

Roman shrugged next to her, "Honestly, Donnie-boy surprised me yesterday. As far as I can tell, its anybody's game so far." Stacy wasn't so sure, and kept her focus on the ever-evolving battle until she felt Roman's fingers pinch her behind. She gasped, gave him a condemning look, and took one long sidestep away from him; Eevee followed her.

At once, both battlers switched strategies, as synchronized as a pair of circus jugglers. "Jolteon, Double-Kick!" the Rogue ordered.

"Flareon, Bite!" Dontae commanded quickly.

Both battlers rushed each other with their physical attacks. Jolteon turned around with impressive agility and aimed a donkey-style kick at Flareon's face, just as Flareon bit down on Jolteon's leg. Both battlers suffered damage, but they both stood fiercely at attention. Flareon shook in irritation with the Paralysis, and Jolteon coughed a bit harder due to the Poison, but both were still ready for more.

"Overheat!" Dontae commanded, with the confidence that he clearly believed this would be the finisher.

"Shadow Ball!" the Rogue countered, and Jolteon formed a shadowy sphere of energy in its mouth. Just as Flareon unleashed a deadly scarlet stream of destruction, Jolteon fired off the Shadow Ball; the Ghost-type attack ripped down the middle of Overheat, diverting it into two different streams that both missed Jolteon. Shadow Ball, on the other hand, struck Flareon in the face hard, cutting off its fire stream.

The Rogue followed up quickly, "Double-Kick again!" Jolteon blitzed the field with its impressive speed, turned one-hundred and eighty degrees, and kicked Flareon again with its two back legs.

That's when Dontae made a daring comeback, "Flamethrower!" With no time to react, Jolteon was rammed hard in the stomach by a thin stream of heat from Flareon's mouth. The Electric-type was sent flying and crashing to the far side of the makeshift arena.

"Now, hit it with another Flamethrower!" Dontae tried to seal the match.

The Rogue made his quick countermeasure, "Use Thunder again!"

Jolteon quickly got to its feet, and its pelt sizzled as another thunderous noise went off overhead. At the same time, Flareon spat another fiery burst at Jolteon. Once again, both sizzling moves sailed right past each other and struck harshly, blackening fur and causing pained screams. Once the light settled, however, both Pokémon were, amazingly enough, still ready, willing and able.

Dontae continued to cut ahead and wrap up as quickly as possible, "Bite it, Flareon!"

The Rogue made his move a split-second later, "Shadow Ball!"

Jolteon formed another shadowy ball and launched it at the now-charging Flareon. The attack struck, but did little to stop Flareon from crunching down on Jolteon's bristly neck and making it shriek, "San-Daaa!"

Dontae then made one last command, "Overheat!"

"Double-Kick!" the Rogue was able to command just before Flareon acted (the Fire-type's Paralysis made it a few seconds slow). Jolteon turned and struck its brethren with one last donkey-kick before being singed all over by the furious crimson blaze. Flareon recovered quickly, but too many powerful attacks seemed to have taken their toll on Jolteon. With the Poison exhaled from the Lightning Pokémon's throat one last time, Jolteon cringed and collapsed, marking Dontae's first win.

Eevee whined slightly, and Stacy glanced at it. "I know," Stacy muttered to it comfortingly, "I had trouble watching this too. But no matter what happens, they'll still be friends." She referred to the Rogue and Dontae just as well as to their respective battlers. Stacy paid close attention to the Rogue's replacement, but felt Roman's hand once again. She turned and slapped it away femininely, "Will you please stop touching my butt?!"

"Sorry, sweetums," Roman flirted smugly, "It's just so soft and cuddly!"

The Rogue returned Jolteon to its Ball and quickly swapped out for another, "I have to admit, Dontae, you're certainly exceeding my expectations. I never thought I'd lose a Pokémon so quickly."

"I'm keeping my word, Rogue," Dontae replied, "I said I'd give it everything I had, and I meant it. Besides, as a Gym Leader, I'm not allowed to pull punches."

The Rogue smiled, "Well, keep it up, kid. It doesn't take a detective to know you and I are just getting started!" At once, the Rogue threw, and his PokéBall sprang open with a PANG; Kabuto, stood staunchly still, waiting for orders.

"I figured you'd do something like that," Dontae responded to the Rogue's choice with forced respect, "But it doesn't mean I'll let up now! Flareon, Bite it!"

"Harden, Kabuto!"

Flareon, its fiery eyes locked onto its new target, charged swiftly toward Kabuto, its fanged mouth snapping as it leaped at Kabuto. Kabuto, in turn, gained a shiny, reflective coating all over its brown shell. Flareon's mouth Bit down on Kabuto hard, but the Shellfish Pokémon hardly took notice. If no one had seen the attack land, one would swear there had been no attack at all.

"Mud Shot!" the Rogue called out. Finally, Kabuto showed signs that it was alive, and aimed the front of its shell at Flareon, spraying it with a thick, viscous brown liquid.

"Smog, Flareon!" Dontae countered, and Flareon exhaled a large purple cloud at Kabuto. Both attacks struck, and both Pokémon suffered damage, as well as the side effects of each move. Like Jolteon, Kabuto's exhalations resulted in purple clouds, and the mud clumped around Flareon's bushy pelt seemed to weigh it down; it walked a bit slower than it did before.

"Water Pulse!" the Rogue followed up quickly, and Kabuto aimed its shell again, dousing Flareon with a series of pulsating water rings. Flareon moaned in pain, then stumbled a bit as it moved, ready to damage itself in its own Confusion.

"Damn!" Dontae muttered as he suddenly brought out Flareon's Ball and returned it, "Paralysis, Confusion _and_ reduced Speed?! Not gonna happen, dude!" He then swapped out the Ball for another from his belt, and with a PANG, Omanyte took to the field in its first battle. The two Trainers' synchronicity was demonstrated even further, not just in their respective selections, but in these Pokémons' behaviors; they both stood staunchly still, as if they both were still Fossils.

The Rogue smiled at Dontae's interesting selection, then both Trainers made the same command at the exact same time: "Mud Shot!" Both Pokémon made the little movement it took to aim, and each one sprayed the muddy substance from their mouths. Surprisingly, both Pokémon also dodged at the same time—Kabuto rolled over on its side, while Omanyte performed a backward tumble—and neither attack did damage.

"Hurry and use Bite, Omanyte!" Dontae commanded.

"Sand-Attack!" the Rogue countered, and Kabuto spun around in place, kicking up a cloud of sand. Omanyte rolled forward and jumped, its tentacled mouth aimed right for its fellow Fossil Pokémon. Omanyte braved the sand and struck with its attack, but once again, Kabuto showed no sign that it had been attacked.

"Water Gun, Omanyte!" Dontae ordered.

"Kabuto, Water Pulse!" the Rogue countered, and both Pokémon sprayed each other with powerful Water-type attacks. Omanyte's, unlike Kabuto's, was one long, continuous stream that struck Kabuto hard. Kabuto's pulsing water-rings struck Omanyte as well, but lacked the Confusion it had instilled in Flareon. With Kabuto doling out more damage due to experience while losing health due to Poison at the same time, both Trainers were nearly even at this point.

"Bite again, Omanyte!"

"Harden, Kabuto!" Another repeat of attacks, and Omanyte leaped, landing its surprisingly powerful tentacles onto Kabuto's shell. Kabuto withstood the attack, but it seemed to be weakening, constantly under fire from Omanyte's offensive and withstanding the Poison that slowly corroded its health. Omanyte struggled as well; Kabuto's Harden was making it tougher to crack its shell all the time. Both Pokémon exhibited great strength and fury that belied their calm entrances into battle, and neither side backed down for a second.

That's when a glow began to permeate the field. Emanating from _both_ Pokémon.

Both Kabuto and Omanyte glowed at the same time, projecting that bright white light of evolution. Both Fossil Pokémon switched back and forth from their base forms to their much taller evolved forms, faster and faster while shrouded in the luminescence, as the battle went on. Finally, as the difference between evolved and unevolved silhouettes became blurry, the light exploded, and both Pokémon forced each other back six feet, displaying their new forms with an increased level of ferocity.

Dontae's Omanyte was now two feet taller. Its eyes had widened, its tentacled mouth had reformed into a four-lipped beak, and its tentacles were moved either behind its face and lengthened, or on the four corners of its face and widened, resembling limbs. It also sported a column of spikes running up and around the edge of its spiral shell. The Rogue's Kabuto had changed far more radically; the only thing that remotely resembled its old shelled form was its large, horizontally-flat head (which, even then, resembled a soft-pointed triangle more than a trilobite shell). It had sprouted over two and a half feet, and now had a skinny, jagged, bipedal body holding it up, colored a slightly darker brown than before. Its legs ended in clawed, two-toed feet, and (much like Scyther, the Rogue noted, and it made him shudder slightly), its arms were long, lethal-looking blades. However, unlike Scyther, whose blade-arms stuck out straight in front, these arms stopped abruptly and curved downward like harvesting sickles.

Roman whistled, apparently impressed, and Vulcan groaned next to him. "Nice," he said, nodding his head, "Donnie-boy's got an Omastar now. I'd be willing to bet he was planning on having that thing evolve right here in this battle, but now that other one's a Kabutops. I'll admit, though, I would've had trouble with that Omastar if he'd used it against me."

Stacy sniffed in disapproval, "Yeah, and I'm sure Dontae still would've stomped you. _Don't you dare!_" she suddenly yelled just as Roman was about to reach for Stacy's backside again. Roman froze, his hand grew limp, and it slumped back to his side.

The evolution had impressed the friends-turned-rivals, but had not slowed down their bout. "Well, ain't that a kick!" Dontae declared, "Let's test out you new power, Omastar! Use Tickle!"

"No way!" the Rogue called out, "Show them your new-and-improved Water Pulse, Kabutops!" Once again, both Pokémon acted simultaneously. Kabutops fired off a series of water-rings again, and Omastar was struck hard (even stumbling around in Confusion), but it did not change course. Its longer, skinnier tentacles behind it suddenly lengthened and wrapped around Kabutops, shimmying up and down its body and making it grunt in glee.

The Rogue knew this had weakened his Pokémon's attack and defense stats, and quickly changed his game, "Use Slash!" Kabuto raced in after Omastar's tentacles retracted, aiming its scythe-arms at its opponent.

"Spike Cannon!" Dontae countered, and Omastar bent down low, aiming the spikes on its shell at its opponent. The Rogue remembered this move as used by Verdus' Cloyster; a series of long, sharp spikes, thicker and more deadly than Beedrill's Pin Missile had ever been, suddenly shot through the air, pointed straight at Kabutops. The larger Shellfish Pokémon Slashed through four of the Spikes as they struck, and its long right claw crashed into Omastar's thick shell. Neither Pokémon took much damage, but both had been seriously injured thus far, and most likely couldn't carry on much longer.

"Hurry and use Water Gun, Omastar!" Dontae urgently commanded, obviously wanting to finish this as quickly as possible. Omastar's beak opened, and it sprayed another long, thin stream of water at its opponent.

"Sand-Attack, quickly!" the Rogue responded, determined to hold out until Omastar fainted. Instead of spinning, as it had as a Kabuto, Kabutops dug its right claw into the dirt in front of it and swept it forward in one grand, intimidating motion. Omastar took the sand in the face, letting Kabutops dodge the Water Gun effortlessly.

Finally, both Trainers made their last attempts at a finisher; amazingly enough, it was the exact same move at the exact same time once again:

"ANCIENTPOWER!"

Both Kabutops and Omastar suddenly closed their eyes and held out their limbs, as if to gather energy. AncientPower was a strong Rock-type move by itself, but could only be used a limited number of times, and for good reason: it gave the user a chance to increase all offensive, defensive and speed stats at once. Appearing out of thin air, a series of floating, glowing rocks surrounded both battlers, each set hovering in midair and swirling around each other in a perfect circular formation, much like the electrons of an atom. Both battlers' eyes opened again, and with a gesture of claw and tentacle, both sets of ancient rocks flew through the air, aimed at each other's opponents. Not a single rock struck another one as both attacks sailed past each other in the air, and both battlers were hailed upon by attacks so powerful, the clouds of dust it kicked up gave the scene the look of a cataclysm.

The Rogue and Dontae both desperately peered through the dust throughout several seconds of unbearable tension. The scene could've taken seconds or hours, but no one was in the mood to measure. Finally, the dust settled, and the sight of the two battlers came in clearly.

Both Omastar and Kabutops were flat on the ground, unconscious.

"Well, I'll be damned!" Dontae announced, awestruck, as he returned Omastar in a flash of laser light, "Another draw! This is what happened when your Zubat battled my Charmander, remember? I couldn't believe it then, and I can't believe it now!"

The Rogue was calculating how both Pokémon could've fainted, and knew that Kabutops would likely have won, had it not been Poisoned; the Poison from Flareon's Smog must've sapped the last of its strength just after Omastar fainted. "Yeah, I remember," the Rogue responded faintly, also returning Kabutops in a flash of red. The Rogue had done more than remember; he was a witness to what might be the foreshadowing of the final round in this very battle.

At the Rogue's side, Golbat stepped forward, knowing what had to be done before the Rogue had even commanded it. The two looked at one another, and the detective nodded, giving his Pokémon partner the green light. In a flourish of blue and purple wings, Golbat swept across the field, landing at attention and ready for the final bout.

Dontae took a deep, hesitant breath, knowing he couldn't bring out his trump card just yet. Returning Omastar's PokéBall, he brought out another one, one that had already been used in this battle. Dontae threw the Ball, and Flareon reappeared, intensely injured and still Paralyzed.

"You idiot!" Roman barked out, "Flareon's not gonna last a second against Golbat! You said you weren't pulling any punches! What, are you trying to lose on purpose to make your boyfriend feel better!?"

Dontae angrily turned toward Roman and screamed out maniacally, "WILL YOU JUST SHUT THE - UP, ROMAN!?" (Dontae had used a word that made his Charmander gasp, the third Eevee cry, and Stacy yell admonishingly, "Dontae! Shame on you!")

The Rogue merely shook his head wearily, then made the first command, "Golbat, use Air Cutter!" Golbat chattered loudly and took off for the sky, sweeping the air with its wings and raining a volley of air-blades down on Flareon's head.

"Flareon, Overheat! Do as much damage as you can!" Dontae commanded, and Flareon let loose another thin stream of crimson wildfire. Golbat swerved and dodged just in time, but Flareon managed to roll out of the way of the Air Cutter.

"Now, use Flamethrower!" Dontae commanded.

"Poison Fang!" the Rogue cut ahead, and Golbat did the same, speeding ahead of its Paralyzed opponent and digging its purple sizzling fangs into Flareon's neck. Flareon had just a hint of strength left after this attack, and Golbat was blown back by the powerful Fire-type move.

The Rogue was panicking now. If Golbat lost now, that final badge was out of his reach. And even if Golbat did win, Dontae still had one usable Pokémon open to him; Golbat was the Rogue's last allowable battler. At this rate, Golbat wouldn't last until after the end of this battle.

"Now, another Overheat!" Dontae commanded, but when Flareon tried to aim its ultimate attack again, it froze where it stood, yowling in pain as it tried. The Paralysis inhibited its movements.

The Rogue then made the last move, "Wing Attack!"

Golbat screeched and dove, flying low and close to the ground, aiming a wing at the locked and helpless Flareon. In an instant, Golbat's left wing connected, and Flareon was knocked off its feet, flew ten feet in the air, and landed with a hard THUD. It stirred, then fell still.

Eevee whined from the sidelines, not wanting to see its friend in any more pain, and jumped into Stacy's arms, rubbing its face into her chest for comfort. Stacy petted it, but didn't say anything, likely out of overbearing apprehension; she knew well that this next battle—this _last_ battle—would determine the victor.

And if the Rogue would indeed be meeting Kaine at the Indigo League Tournament in time.

After returning Flareon, Dontae took a long look at his Charmander, which stood next to him and stared back with a look of hesitant fret, "Char! Charmander-mander! Char-char, charmand-der!"

"I know, buddy, I know," Dontae coaxed his friend, "Golbat's your friend, and you don't want to fight it. But Wartortle and Ninetales aren't gonna be enough, and Poliwrath has a type disadvantage. Besides, you're the only Pokémon I can trust to do this. Golbat won't hold back, so you can't either. You ready?"

Charmander glanced at Golbat, and saw the steely, determined resolution in its eyes. Slowly, it nodded, as if to say that it, Charmander, knows what must be done. They may be friends, and it may not seem that way on the battlefield, but once all is said and done, nothing will have changed. They would still work hard to try and reach the Plateau, and when they did, they would still take on Kaine together.

The air was thick with tension. Stacy, Roman, Vulcan and Eevee watched tentatively, as if waiting for the first cowboy to draw his pistol and fire. The Rogue and Dontae stared one another down, and further in, between them, Golbat and Charmander stood stone still, each one daring the other to make the first move. The silence in the area intensified the tension, until the feel of it was almost agonizing.

Finally, the two Trainers acted, and the final round began:

"Flamethrower!"

"Confuse Ray!"

Uncannily mimicking their first moves from their first battle nearly three weeks ago, Dontae's Charmander and the Rogue's Golbat launched their initiate attacks. Charmander's Flamethrower had expanded to nearly three times its width since that last battle, while Golbat's Confuse Ray had swelled to crippling levels of blinding brightness since its application of the move as a Zubat. Just as with their last battle, Charmander was befuddled by the flash of Confuse Ray, while Flamethrower scorched Golbat and knocked it out of the air.

Golbat suddenly chirruped in agony; in an incredible twist of fate, the Flying-type's left wing sported charred, coal-like wounds. It had been Burned.

Both Trainers seemed to realize the unreal exactness that every step of this battle had fallen into, and they both stood still and silent for a moment. Their Pokémon, much more intimately familiar with their previous battle than their Trainers were, were both wide-eyed and open-mouthed at this surreal turn of events. It was as if time itself had turned backwards, and the Rogue was half-tempted to sigh with relief over the illusion of an extension to his due date to catch Kaine.

Both Trainers shook off the shock of this blast from the past fairly easily, and Dontae made the follow-up move, "Charmander, use, Dragon Claw!" Charmander raced toward its friend-turned-foe, but the Confusion had gotten to it, and it tripped over, falling flat on its face and hurting itself.

Just as it had in their last battle.

The Rogue ignored the feeling of deja vu and continued, "Golbat, Poison Fang, now!" Golbat jumped off the ground and sped forward, flying low and opening its jaws; its large fangs glowed purple and began sizzling again. When Charmander had gotten up, it was too late to get away, and Golbat crunched down on Charmander's left arm. Just as before, the attack wasn't enough, due to Golbat's Burn weakening its attack strength, and Charmander recovered quickly.

The first thing to happen that did not have a parallel in the two Pokémons' last bout: Charmander began exhaling purple clouds of Poison.

Finally, the two battlers grew out of sync with time, and Dontae continued making the battle unique, "Now, try another Dragon Claw, buddy!"

Charmander obeyed, roaring in its high-pitched voice and creating devilish blue fire on its lengthening claws, "Char-Man-Deeeeeer!"

The Rogue made his counter, "Use Air Cutter!", and Golbat obeyed, taking flight and sweeping the air. Charmander bravely withstood the harsh blades of wind before taking a tremendous leap and swiping at Golbat. Ironically, instead of Air Cutter's high Critical ratio helping Golbat win the battle, Charmander's attack had caused Critical damage, and Golbat was that much closer to losing the battle.

"Wing Attack!" the Rogue called, and Golbat dove, spreading its wings wide and preparing to strike.

"Charmander, Dig!" Dontae ordered. Charmander glanced at him incredulously for a second, but quickly obeyed once it saw Golbat coming. It quickly moved its sharp paws into the dirt, clawing a great hole in the ground and hiding itself just in time to dodge Golbat's wings.

The Rogue raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Well . . . that's peculiar. Even though Ground-type attacks won't affect Golbat, you used Dig just to dodge Wing Attack. Clever, but it won't be enough."

Dontae shrugged, "Desperate times, and whatever else they say. Now!" Charmander seemed to hear the command, for that was when a rumble sounded off beneath Golbat. Charmander sprang from another hole in the dirt, but Golbat effortlessly dodged.

At the same time, the Rogue made his counterattack, "Air Cutter again!" Golbat screeched and swept its wings through the air again, throwing another volley of air-blades at Charmander. Charmander spun and twisted in midair as it came down, and landed with a flourishing somersault, having dodged every single blade of wind. Just after it landed, though, Charmander hacked and coughed, and it produced more purple gas from its mouth, as well as a sizzling hunk of purple phlegm.

When Golbat chittered in pain over its Burn, both Trainers seemed to know then that neither of them could keep this up for much longer. Dontae acted first, in an attempt to finish the battle, "Charmander, give it everything you've got! _Fire Blast!_"

The Rogue braced himself and took charge of the match, "Golbat, move in! _Wing Attack!_"

Charmander's eyes seemed to burn with a white-hot intensity at this command, and its entire body reflected its fiery nature by glowing with a furious red light. This was Charmander's Ability, Blaze, which gave its Fire-type attacks a surge in power once its health dropped to the minimum. Charmander threw back its head, the fireball formed in its mouth, and the tiny Fire-type launched its most tempestuous five-pointed Fire attack ever, "CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRR!"

Golbat charged from its spot high in the sky, and in its fervent speed, the battle once again reflected the passage of time. Just as it had as a Zubat, flying into the heart of a devastating blue inferno of Dragon Rage, Golbat valiantly soared on into the eye of the volcanic blast, steadying its nerves, staying on target, and swinging one last mighty wing at its enemy . . . . .


	25. 25 - On the Road to Victory

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#25: On the Road to Victory

The blistering fire and billowing smoke obscured both competitors for a good length of time, and everyone in the vicinity showed obvious signs of apprehension, even Roman and Vulcan. Once the carnage settled, Charmander stood fiercely, claws bared and ready and its eyes still glowing with the hellish fury of Blaze. Facing it on the other side, Golbat stood staunchly, wings flexed out to their maximum span, eyes and fangs looking deadly. The Rogue and Dontae stared in amazement at their two battlers; once again, the battle had projected the illusion of time travel, and it was as if the Rogue were seeing his first Gym battle all over again, wondering if he could earn his first Badge instead of his last.

Dontae, however, shook off the amazement, "All right, buddy, this has to end, now. Flamethrower!" Just as it had before, Charmander attempted to make its move, but tripped and fell over, still Confused. The Rogue thought back to his first bout with Dontae, and remembered that, when this happened then, his Golbat (then a Zubat) had had the last of its strength whittled away by its Burn, making both Pokémon lose and ending the match in a draw. Once again, though, the match deviated from this strange time trip, and Charmander, still on the ground, hacked up more purple, sizzling saliva as it struggled to get up. After a long few seconds, Charmander pushed itself up onto its arms, working with all its remaining might to get back on its feet. Its arms shook, its breath rattled, its eyes slowly lost their fiery shine.

And it was down. Despite its best efforts, the Poison had consumed too much of its health, and it whined as it flopped back down, defeated at last, "Chaaaaaaaar . . . . ."

"Charmander!" Dontae yelled, quickly racing out onto the battlefield toward his friend. He knelt down and slowly brought Charmander's head into his lap. "Are you all right, buddy?" he asked it calmly, stroking its scaly head, "Don't worry, you're gonna be all right. You were awesome out there, you know that? Just awesome!"

Charmander's voice was hoarse, but it responded with a smile, "Chaaar . . ."

The Rogue approached Dontae and Charmander, his Golbat leaning on him for support due to its own injuries. "He's right, you know," the detective assured, "Both of our Pokémon were excellent. Nothing gives me more confidence than this. Now, I'm sure we can catch Kaine together, and no spy he has working for him will ever change that."

Both Trainers and their Pokémon turned at the sound of a high-pitched sneeze from a few feet away. Stacy, delicately wiping her nose, glanced between the two, "Is it over now? I know what I saw, but I'm just so . . . . upset watching you two fight. We have to work together, and we're running out of time." She was softly rubbing her crossed arms, and her eyes were shaky with subtle, nearly-hidden fear.

"It's all right, Stacy," the Rogue calmed her, "This will be my last Gym battle. After this, we'll finally be able to meet Kaine face-to-face at the Indigo Plateau, and we'll stop him there."

"Not without that last Badge, Gumshoe," Dontae added quickly, then dug around in his jeans pocket, pulling out a tiny, green, leaf-like object. As he held it out, the Rogue observed it, and knew his case was soon to close.

It was the EarthBadge, the final Badge of Kanto's Indigo League.

As the Rogue took it, Dontae quickly turned around, almost making the Badge fall in the transfer. Dontae, carrying his Charmander in his arms, swiftly made his way toward Roman wearing a stern expression. Roman, however, seemingly for the first time, looked inexplicably passive.

"All right, look," Dontae's tone was all business, "This guy is a detective. He needs me to help him solve a major case, and I have to go with him to the Plateau. While I'm gone, you're in charge of the Gym, but don't get used to it! I'll be back after the League Tournament. And if you give me more crap about him and me together, I'll kick you right in your PokéBalls!"

Roman kept his passive look, gave a short sigh, and replied in a relenting voice, "All right, Dontae, I get it. You wanted to prove yourself to your big bro all these years, and you have. You beat me in battle yesterday, and even though you lost today, you still kicked ass. I guess you earned the Gym, and I'll watch it while you're gone."

"You'd better," Dontae answered in a low voice, "Wouldn't want to get another visit from the Rogue's Charizard, would you?"

At the sound of this, Vulcan began shivering and whining slightly, "Meleon . . . . ."

Getting past the Badge check gates took most of the rest of the day; the path west of Viridian City toward the Indigo Plateau was mostly water, and the Rogue needed to hire a boat to have his motorcycle carried over it. Due to this, the group found themselves at the entrance to their next destination by sunset, but it was their last hurdle before reaching the Pokémon League: Victory Road.

Revving smoothly through the cave entrance, the Rogue steered his motorcycle carefully through rows of stalactites and high ridges of rock formations. Stacy squeezed him tightly from behind, and Dontae gripped the edges of the sidecar tightly. Above them was the flickering light of Charmander's tail as it was carried through the cave by an oddly enthusiastic Golbat. The Bat Pokémon was spinning and diving and sailing freely through the cave, screeching happily and flapping its wings erratically.

"Wow!" Stacy looked up at them and grinned, calling out over the echoing noise of the bike, "Golbat looks so happy! It must be glad to be almost through with the case!"

"That's not the reason!" the Rogue called back, looking up and smiling as well, "My partner's probably glad to be home! This is where I first met it, back when it was still a Zubat!"

"Yeah, I've been meaning to ask about that!" Dontae hollered from the sidecar, "How did you and Golbat first meet? Must've been on a case, right?"

"Exactly!" the Rogue nodded, "It was about eight years ago! Thieves working the Plateau just before the big tournament!" The Rogue could clearly remember that day, as if it had happened only yesterday. A kid detective, still angry with his absent father, getting in way over his head with a case of Pokémon thieves. The first really unusual thing to happen that day was seeing an injured Zubat on the cave floor. After that, things seemed destined to come together . . .

_No one expected the fourteen-year-old detective to track the Indigo League bandits to the farthest corners of Victory Road, but it happened. Victory Road was an enormous maze of a cave that housed some of the most ferocious Pokémon in Kanto, and it served as the final test for all Trainers participating in the Pokémon League. The Rogue had done extensive research on the cave, prepared himself for any and every circumstance, and had followed through on a hunch that seemed to pay off. Now, the crooks were being driven deeper and deeper into this frightening cavern, and the young detective had no distractions in his quest to find them and bring them to justice._

_Except for one._

_The Rogue had nearly stepped on the little creature, and he took one step back, bending low to see it more clearly. It was a Zubat, but it looked severely injured, and it screeched in pain as it twitched its sprained left wing. It stared at the Rogue with an eyeless expression of longing, as if it begged the detective to help it._

_The Rogue took out his PokéCell, a prototype of the device he would use in later years, and scanned the creature, taking in all of its biological info. Putting the Cell away after getting all the useful information, he observed the small blue creature, taking in the smallest details and, with them, knowing everything that happened to it that led to its injury. The wing was bent low and back at a low, yet painful angle, suggesting force on both sides that bent it that way; the Zubat had used Wing Attack to defend itself, but its opponent was stronger. It was covered in obvious shoe marks from two distinctly different kinds of shoes, meaning two people attacked it after defeating it with their Pokémon. The ceremonial torch-lighting for the Pokémon League Tournament was today, and thus, there were no other people about to explore Victory Road for a while; thus, the two thieves on the run (who had been pursued by the Rogue to this very part of the cave) could be the only possible assailants of this poor Pokémon._

_The Rogue picked up the wounded Zubat and began massaging it all over, paying special attention to its wing. Using both hands, the Rogue rubbed the Zubat's injured wing until it was warm all over, and the Flying-type chittered in relaxation. Still massaging with one hand, the Rogue slowly and gently pulled the wings out to full span,and a little at a time, the wing began to soften up, relaxing. After the relaxation had spread to the Zubat's body, then out to the other wing, the Rogue quickly pushed the injured wing in, hearing the distinct cracking sounds of joints, then he pulled the wing back out in another fast motion. Zubat screeched in pain, but seconds later, the Bat Pokémon began flapping, and it took to the air once again._

_Zubat chattered its gratitude, but the Rogue merely sighed and shook his head. "I can't stay," he whispered to the grateful Pokémon, "I'm on an important mission. Maybe we'll see each other again sometime." And with that, he walked away, leaving the flapping Pokémon there in midair, happy, but confused at the unexpected help and sudden departure._

_After some more walking and tracking, the Rogue heard sounds from a section of the cave not too far away from the Plateau side's entrance, and knew they were voices. Human voices. His quarry. They had just stolen an entire stock of Pokémon used by the competitors of the tournament, and when the Rogue had acted upon his hunch and caught them in the act, they had fled into Victory Road. Now, they were cornered, and had nowhere to run. Soon, the Rogue would call Officer Jenny patrolling the Plateau, and she would send a squad of cops in as backup. Crooks are caught, Pokémon are saved, tournament goes ahead as planned; all is well._

_Until the Rogue was attacked._

_As the young detective ducked a Poison Sting attack, he quickly realized that he was in over his head, and it was the first time since he took the case that he had realized it. It was his youthfully naïve misunderstanding that people who steal Pokémon would not have any of their own, and thus would not use any against him, especially the potentially disobedient Pokémon of the tournament competitors. He looked, and saw one of the poachers barking orders at a Tentacool, a small, blue jellyfish creature with two red jewel-like orbs stuck in its bulbous head (this Pokémon was the pre-evolution of Tentacruel, a Pokémon the Rogue would fight eight years later). He panicked even more when he saw the man's partner, carrying a sack of PokéBalls, deploying his own Pokémon with the PANG of a PokéBall: a Lickitung, a large, unusual-looking creature that looked like a pudgy, hairless pink squirrel with an exceptionally long tongue. The Rogue began to sweat as he jumped from the high ridge he stood on to dodge another Poison Sting from Tentacool, and almost cried out when Lickitung's tongue stretched to abnormal proportions to just barely miss a Paralysis-inducing Lick attack. The Rogue reached for his PokéCell to call for backup, but a poisonous needle shooting a hole in his duster meant that there wasn't enough time. That, and a Lickitung tongue coming right at him, ready to slap him in the face._

_WHAP!_

_At only one inch away from touching the Rogue's face, Lickitung's tongue retracted, and the Licking Pokémon fell, dazed. The Rogue glanced to whatever was responsible, and saw a Zubat._

_The same Zubat he had healed nearly an hour earlier._

_The Flying-type swerved in the air and landed another Wing Attack on Tentacool. The Water-type flew backwards, but was not knocked out yet, and by now, Lickitung was shaking off the damage it took earlier. It launched its tongue forward for another Lick, aimed at Zubat, but the smaller Pokémon's impressive agility saved it, and it aimed a bright stream of light from its mouth at Lickitung. The pink creature stumbled around and comically slapped itself in the face with its own tongue, befuddled by the light of Confuse Ray. Zubat let only a few seconds of time slip between that and another Wing Attack that knocked Lickitung back again, and quickly turned around and enlarged itself strangely, making a horrid face at Tentacool and making it emit a bubbly screech as it Flinched._

_The Rogue saw the last move as Astonish, and was impressed not just with the power of the normally weak Ghost-type move, but with the Zubat's incredible battle prowess. The two thieving Trainers had gotten irritated at this sudden, frustrating intrusion, and were now taking matters into their own hands, jumping in to subdue the renegade Zubat. The Rogue quickly sprang into action, racing in to block their path just as they approached the Pokémon battle, and performed a low leg sweep to trip up Tentacool's Trainer. As he was sent flying into a stalactite, the Rogue threw a punch into the gut of Lickitung's Trainer, and the thief doubled over in agony. The Rogue turned, and saw Zubat slamming another Wing Attack into the Confused Lickitung, hitting Tentacool with another, final Astonish in quick succession. Both Pokémon were now defeated, as were their Trainers, and the sack of stolen PokéBalls was left unprotected and waiting to be returned to the Plateau._

_After the Rogue called Jenny and handcuffed the two criminals, the police arrived in less than fifteen minutes. The two crooks were taken into custody, their own Pokémon were confiscated, and the Pokémon they stole were on their way back to their original Trainers. While overseeing all this, the Rogue felt something on his shoulder, and saw the Zubat that had helped him earlier, perched comfortably and grinning at him. This seemed to be Zubat's way of extending a hand in partnership—at least, that's how the Rogue saw it._

"_You were amazing out there," the Rogue congratulated the Poison-type, "You know, if you don't have anywhere else to go, you can come with me. I could always use a Pokémon partner to help me out of scrapes like that."_

_Zubat seemed only too eager at this proposition, and nuzzled up the side of the young detective's face, gladly accepting his offer. The Rogue raised a hand to pet Zubat, and he seemed to realize, then and there, that the two of them were destined for great adventures together for a long time._

The Rogue's story was interrupted by an explosion that went off several yards away. The Rogue swerved a split-second too late, and the bike tipped over, spilling Dontae, Stacy and himself to the cave floor, while Golbat suffered turbulence above, toppling Charmander off its back. At the same time, a gigantic surging stream of fire, far more powerful than any Flamethrower they had ever seen, erupted from where the explosion went off, and began to rip through the cave ceiling like a knife through butter. The cave rumbled, and chunks of rock fell from the hole above the group in a massive rockslide.

And the group was inches away from being crushed.

Instinctively, the Rogue rolled to the left, and Dontae dove in the same direction. "Golbat!" the detective called quickly, "Save them!" Golbat was infinitely faster than its Trainer commanded, and had already swept the ground at a low angle, catching Stacy and Charmander and pushing them to the right of the rockslide. The large boulders fell to the ground with a deafening roar, and in an instant, the low ceiling separating one cave section from another was now added to by a wall of rocks.

The Rogue and Dontae were on one side of the wall; Stacy, Golbat and Charmander were on the other.

"Rogue!" Stacy's voice cried from the other side of the wall, fear making it break, "Rogue! Dontae! Where are you?! Rogue, Dontae, help! Please, help!"

"Stacy!" Dontae answered back, "Stacy, are you all right? Can you see Charmander and Golbat? Are they okay?"

There was silence for awhile, highlighted by more explosions in the distance, then Stacy answered back, still fretted, "Yeah, they're right here. Please, help us! I'm so scared!" Soon after this, Charmander could be heard growling, and a bluish light could be seen in the thin cracks between the rocks.

"No!" the Rogue shouted, knowing what Charmander was doing, "Charmander, stop! If you try to break through these rocks, it could start another rockslide! Don't try to break through!"

Dontae nodded and added, "He's right, buddy! Just stay close to Stacy and give her light! And don't let her out of your sight, understand?"

There was another silence as more fire surged from far away, accompanied by rumbling in the ground that shook a few rocks loose (startling the whole group). Finally, Charmander agreed with a grumble, "Char-char!"

"Golbat!" the Rogue called, "You know this cave better than any of us! Try to scout out the area and find a way around! Once you meet us, go back and bring Stacy and Charmander to us! Dontae and I have to figure out what's going on over on our side! Be careful, my friend!"

Golbat could be heard chattering from the other side of the rock stack, and the sound of flapping wings signaled its departure. The Rogue and Dontae then raced in the direction of the explosive sounds, and saw a destructive, albeit unusual battle taking place. Two people were on one side, commanding two towering bipedal Pokémon in their battle. One Pokémon was deep purple and covered in sharp, dangerous spines, a Nidoking, the evolved form of Nidorino; the other was a chalky blue, its spines were far duller, and it bore a set of what looked like feminine breasts; Nidorina's evolved form, a Nidoqueen. Battling these two Poison/Ground hybrids were a Gyarados and a Golem, and commanding these two Pokémon was none other than Tanshin.

"Oh, hey, Ryoguchi!" Tanshin greeted in an incongruously cheerful voice, "Fancy seeing you again so quickly!" His voice suddenly grew ferocious, "Blizzard!" Gyarados suddenly roared and shook its enormous body, conjuring freezing gale-force winds that sported giant snowflakes and deadly icicles. Nidoking dodged the fierce Ice-type attack, and Nidoqueen conjured a reflective Protect bubble to shield herself.

The Rogue couldn't find the strength to correct his father, for he and Dontae were now staring at what the two Trainers were battling Tanshin over. On a raised section of earth between the two sides, underneath what looked like an incredibly strong fireproof net, was a large bird that looked like its wings were on fire. It had sunset-orange plumage, a long beak and sharp black talons, and its tail and the crest on top of its head were made of pure fire. It screeched and struggled under the net it was pinned under, releasing intense jets of flame that carved holes in the cave ceiling.

Dontae was the first to speak up, his nonchalant voice covering up his shock, "So, ummm . . . . . yeah, that's Moltres, isn't it . . . ?"

The Rogue nodded, speechless. This certainly didn't look like a situation Tanshin was controlling, and even worse, this seemed to be another call to stop the journey that was coming so close to the end.

"What?!" Nidoking's Trainer, a tall, muscular man with a thick, black mustache and a long duster that matched his Nidoking in color, bellowed at the new intrusion, "Damn it! More cretins come to take what we've rightfully poached!" He moved into the fray swiftly, his duster flowing behind him.

Nidoqueen's Trainer, an equally tall, busty blonde woman in a sports bra and miniskirt that were the same color as her Nidoqueen, shrieked in frustration. "It's the Rogue!" she yelled and stamped her foot, "We can't let him stop us, baby! We just can't!" She raced in behind her partner, her startlingly short miniskirt moving with her full-figured thighs.

Suddenly, the Rogue brought out his PokéCell and punched a few keys, bringing up his criminal files. The screen displayed the info, and he made the connection, "Those are the Royal Pair, Indigo and Azure! Husband-and-wife Pokémon poachers that are considered the best in the business! They're said to be such powerful Trainers, they've been known to easily defeat Pokémon League competitors!"

"I guess I should explain why I'm here, then!" Tanshin yelled from his position on the battlefield, "I heard that these two were finally stirring in activity after a five-year hiatus! Word was, they were planning to go after a Legendary Pokémon just before the tournament, at a place where no one would bust them in the act. I deduced that, because everyone was busy at the Plateau with the tournament, they would try to find Moltres' nest and capture it without any witnesses! Rollout!" Golem suddenly pulled its limbs into its body, becoming perfectly spherical, and charged after Nidoking, rolling a full speed.

"But why did you try to take these guys on your own?" Dontae asked above the noise. Nidoqueen had suddenly launched a sizzling Thunderbolt at Gyarados that made it bellow in agony.

Tanshin reluctantly answered, glancing at his son beforehand, "I knew how busy you were with your case, Ryoguchi. I didn't want to have to distract you again. Hydro Pump!" Another quick command, and Gyarados launched a titanic jet of water from its maw, dousing the field around it. Nidoking nimbly dodged again, then roared as it called down a series of rocks from out of nowhere. The Rock Slide struck Gyarados harshly, it roared in pain again, then collapsed, defeated.

"Yes!" Indigo cheered, giving Azure a celebratory slap on her behind, "You can't win, gentleman! We stay strong for a reason! We're taking Moltres, whether you like it or not!"

Azure was suddenly excited, "Oh, baby, let me take out the kids by myself! Please, baby? I'll make 'em scream and beg for mercy! Can I, please?" At this, Indigo only sneered and nodded, and Azure squealed triumphantly as she raced down the raised section of earth, impressively nimble on her high-heeled knee-length boots. She charged directly at the Rogue and Dontae, swinging her arms and making her large breasts dance up and down repeatedly. The Rogue immediately knew that Azure was no longer interested in a mere Pokémon battle.

The Rogue turned to Dontae and made his plan, "I'll hold her off, you help Dad." Dontae nodded and took one of his PokéBalls, and with a PANG, Wartortle appeared, ready for battle. Suddenly, Azure attacked, throwing a kick into the Rogue without a care that she was wearing a miniskirt that looked more like a wide belt. The Rogue blocked her kick with his arm and launched one of his own, catching Azure in the small of her back and throwing her a couple of feet away.

The Rogue tensed and prepared for a different kind of fight. "Just so you know," he said, his voice as unshaken as his body, "I'm not afraid to hit a woman."

"Mmmmm," Azure purred, smiling seductively, "Kinky . . . ." She then screeched as she threw a punch, which the Rogue ducked before sweeping the ground with a leg. Azure jumped over his leg and dove into him, and the detective found himself buried under her deceptively hefty weight.

And his face buried under the obvious weight of her breasts.

Indigo was right next to the net holding Moltres now, and took command of both his and his wife's Pokémon. "Nidoking, finish that Golem! Nidoqueen, after that Wartortle!" Nidoking roared as it intercepted Golem's next Rollout with a devastating Brick Break. Golem moaned as it took the blow, but it wasn't through yet. At the same time, Nidoqueen heaved her girth into the air and slammed it down onto Wartortle in a powerful Body Slam. Just as her Trainer had done to the Rogue, Nidoqueen was now smothering Wartortle with her breasts, and the terrapin creature's yowls of pain were well muffled.

Dontae growled in frustration, "Damn it! Even my Pokémon get more action than me!" He then called out desperately to his Pokémon, "Hang in there, Wartortle! Push her off with Water Pulse!"

"Tortle! War-tortle!" Wartortle's face finally popped out from beneath Nidoqueen's ample chest, aimed its mouth directly at her face, and blasted her with a set of pulsing water rings. Nidoqueen roared and pushed off of Wartortle, letting it escape, but when she tried to retaliate, she tripped and fell on her face, Confused.

"Impressive, brat!" Indigo bellowed, grinning, "But a kid won't beat us! Hell, not even League competitors can beat us! Nidoking, Megahorn!" Nidoking's horn suddenly shone with incredible power, and it charged, crashing its horn into the front of Wartortle's carapace.

The Turtle Pokémon gripped Nidoking's horn to push it back, digging its feet deep into the dirt and standing its ground defiantly, "Toooooooooooor-tleeeeeeeeeeeee!" The longer it held on, the harder Nidoking pushed forward, and the deeper Wartortle dug its feet in. Any moment now, the Water-type seemed ready to collapse.

Until it began to glow.

While grasping the charging Nidoking's horn, Wartortle began emitting the glow of evolution, its silhouette changing back and forth from its new form to its old and back at ever-quickening speed. As the light burst into sparkles, Nidoking was thrown back by Dontae's ex-Wartortle's newfound strength. It was now two feet taller, with a much wider and rounder shell. Its ears and tail were shorter, almost nonexistent, and sprouting from two pop-open holes on the shoulders of its shell were two large, metallic cannons.

"Whoa . . ." Dontae awed at his new Pokémon as it growled and showed off its impressive cannons, "Blastoise! Awesome!"

"Hmmph!" Indigo scoffed, "Cool! Get your celebrations over with now, so we can crush you that much more easily! Nidoqueen, Superpower!"

Azure's Pokémon,commanded by her husband as she continued to fight the Rogue, suddenly glowed with ravenous red, yellow and white light all over her body. Nidoqueen released an echoing roar as she charged into the fray, throwing both fists in front of her and aiming right at Blastoise.

"Whoa, not good!" Dontae panicked, then made his quick response, "Blastoise, use Water—"

"TOOOOOOIIIISE!" Blastoise howled in reply, completely ignoring its Trainer as it faced the charging Nidoqueen. There were two loud clicks as Blastoise's two cannons cocked and loaded, and each cannon suddenly released a powerful stream of water at Nidoqueen. Blastoise's Hydro Pump obviously caused massive damage, but Nidoqueen bravely shook it off and slammed her powered-up fists into Blastoise's chest, blowing it backwards into a cave wall behind it.

The Rogue forced Azure back with another kick, seeing Dontae in trouble and readying a PokéBall of his own. "Hang on, guys!" he called out as he enlarged Kabutops' Ball, "However skilled these guys are, they won't last much longer against all of us!" Just as he was ready to throw, he suddenly felt immense pain in his hand, and the Ball went flying into the darkness of a cave opening. Azure had kicked the PokéBall out of the Rogue's hand.

"Ooooh, you're such a naughty boy!" Azure grinned, her legs spread wide and her hands locked on her hips, "You haven't finished playing with _me_ yet! Don't make me whip you now, naughty boy!"

The Rogue suddenly felt rage surge through him. This woman obviously had no regard for her own or anyone's Pokémon, and now Kabutops may be lost in this cave forever. Steeling himself, the Rogue leaped at Azure with another kick, only to have it caught by a still-grinning Azure. She grabbed the detective by the front of his duster, pulled him in for a ferocious kiss right on his lips, kneeing him hard in the groin halfway through it, then threw another kick into his chest, knocking him backwards to the ground.

"Go, baby, go!" Azure screeched up to Indigo, "Torch this cop! I wanna see him scream! Torch him good, baby!"

Indigo sneered again, seeing the weakened Rogue on the ground. "Perfect!" he cackled, "Uninhibited carnage! Nidoking, Flamethrower!"

Nidoking roared his compliance, and aimed his slowly-glowing mouth at the Rogue as a furious flame formed inside it. Nidoking threw back its head as it prepared to launch its Flamethrower, but then bellowed in frustration as Dontae's Blastoise rushed up behind it and gripped Nidoking in a headlock. Nidoking's aim was compromised, and the Flamethrower shot upwards, ripping into a cave wall that Moltres hadn't perforated with its own Flamethrower yet.

"You dirty, underhanded slime!" Tanshin suddenly shouted, making people and Pokémon in the vicinity jump, "Don't you _dare_ hurt my son! _Stone Edge!_" Golem grunted and righted itself out of its Rollout, then it growled as a series of sharpened stones floated around it like an insane carnival ride. The stones stopped, then flew swiftly through the air at Golem's command, aiming straight at Nidoking as it continued to struggle against Blastoise's grip.

The Rogue watched as this Rock-type move he'd never seen before launched itself at the Royal Pair's Pokémon. As strong as this new move was, though, it wasn't enough, Nidoqueen suddenly lowed as she jumped in the way of the deadly stones, projecting another Protect that blocked them off and kept both Ground-types unharmed.

"Blaaaaaaaast . . ." Blastoise grunted as it held its ground against Nidoking. The purple creature's Poison Point ability had Poisoned it, and the sturdy Water-type was now exhaling purple breaths, showing its slowly-growing fatigue despite its best efforts to subdue its foe.

As Nidoqueen slammed into Golem with another Superpower and Nidoking called down another Rock Slide that rained down onto Blastoise's shell, the Rogue continued to roll and leap out of the way of Azure's insane attacks. Control was slowly being lost, and the Rogue suddenly found himself worried that, for the first time since Verdus, the bad guys might just beat him.

"POACHERS! HARM NOT THESE TRAINERS! RETURN YOUR POKÉMON AND LEAVE THIS PLACE! THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING!"

Everyone froze, even the berserk Moltres, at the sound of a booming, intimidating voice. The Rogue's eyes widened as he finally stood up; he knew that voice, the voice without a mouth. A voice that belonged to no human.

On the section of raised earth, directly in front of Moltres, a burst of bluish-purple energy went off in the wake of an eerie sound, and appearing in its midst was the beast that had tortured Articuno in the Seafoam Islands a week ago. It was Mewtwo.

The Rogue reached into his duster for Charizard's PokéBall, but Mewtwo held up a disfigured hand. "Calm yourself, human," its voice echoed throughout the Rogue's mind, "I come not for revenge, but for redemption. My defeat at the Seafoam Islands cause me to think critically of my actions. Your strength and teamwork taught me that power alone means nothing, which is why it can be easily attained."

The Rogue was in awe at the normally vicious Psychic legend's uncharacteristically benign words. "But," the Rogue attempted to ask, uneasy after his memories of his last confrontation with Mewtwo, "But what are you doing here? What . . . . what do you want?"

Mewtwo's eyes shone with something that the Rogue could swear was genuine regret. "Simply seeking power for power's sake is not worthy of my abilities," the Genetic Pokémon continued, "and the way you utilized yours was a marvel to me. I wish to use my power in this same fashion, and achieve a goal that is truly worthy of my gifts. I shall fight alongside you. Our feud is over."

The Rogue's awe was seemingly ceaseless, and it only grew as he watched Mewtwo turn around slowly, reach out the bulbous fingers of one hand and flex them. The net over Moltres suddenly evaporated, as if the air around it superheated the material into nothingness. Moltres gave an ear-shattering caw as it took off, its wings splashing embers across the darkness of the cave as it flapped away from the scene.

"NO!" Indigo raged, as if Moltres would listen, "Stop, you overgrown burnt turkey! I captured you, and I'm not leaving without you, dead or alive!" He then turned to Nidoqueen and Nidoking, "Both of you! After it, now! Now, now, now, now! NOOOOOOW!"

Both Poison-types obeyed, racing after the quickly-departing Flame Pokémon. Suddenly, though, both of them froze where they stood, and started glowing blue as they both began to levitate. They roared and struggled, but could not break out of the psionic trap Mewtwo held them in. In midair, both Pokémon then bellowed as they suddenly rammed into one another, flew upwards and rammed into the cave ceiling, then moaned in pain as the glow around them dissipated, and they dropped back to the ground, dazed and defeated.

Azure turned away from her assault on the Rogue, and saw Nidoking and Nidoqueen dazed and weakened by Mewtwo's effortless assault. "Aaaaagh!" she screamed, "Stop that, you mutated freak! Stop getting in our way! I don't care whether you're a Pokémon or not, I'll make you beg for death when I'm done with you!" She then made her way toward Mewtwo, but that was when the Rogue seized his chance, and grabbed her arms from behind, pinning them both to her back.

Azure saw this and grinned, as if she knew something he didn't, "Forget something, sexy?" She then attempted to kick him again, but found her leg movements restricted.

"No," the Rogue grinned back deviously, "I didn't." Indeed, the detective had slammed a pair of handcuffs over Azure's ankles while she wasn't looking.

Azure looked down at this and gave a dejected scoff. "Awww," she whined, "Usually I like handcuffs." She then turned her head to the Rogue with another sultry smile, "I didn't know you were _that_ kind of boy!" The Rogue simply answered her by shoving her forward, and she walked, her movements reduced to the tiniest of steps by the cuffs around her legs.

By this time, both Dontae and Tanshin had seized Indigo as well, and Blastoise followed behind them, bellowing in victory directly into Indigo's ear, "Blaaaaaaaast! Blaaaaaaaast! Blaaaaaaaast!"

The Royal Pair were both tied up and cuffed, and their Pokémon were returned to their PokéBalls. Tanshin had deployed the Rogue's Raichu (prompting her excessively emotional greeting upon seeing her original Trainer) to use her Flash to search for Kabutops' PokéBall; they found it, and it was safe in the Rogue's duster pocket once again. Tanshin had agreed to have his Golem Dig a passageway underneath the wall of rocks separating them from Stacy, Golbat and Charmander, but first thing was first: the Royal Pair needed to be placed in police custody.

Mewtwo had agreed to handle that.

Just as Mewtwo was readying itself, Azure called out to the Rogue, "I like the way you play, detective! Let's get together again soon, 'kay, baby?" She then puckered her lips into a kiss, then blew it to him, still smiling that seductive, yet deeply disturbed smile.

Indigo audibly scowled behind her. "Oh, shut up, woman," he muttered angrily, elbowing her in the ribs.

The Rogue frowned at Azure, still in pain over her knee in his groin. "Maybe some other time," he quipped in a sardonic tone.

Azure raised an eyebrow, then looked at the Raichu that was hugging his leg tightly and weeping with unbridled joy. "I don't think she's your type," she quipped back with a chuckle.

Mewtwo then began humming as the two poachers suddenly glowed blue, and in a few moments, they vanished in a burst of blue energy and an eerie noise.

Before anything else, Dontae reached out with one hand, grabbed the Rogue by his collar, held him six inches away from his face, and glared at him contemptibly. "How?" he grumbled.

The Rogue was confused at the sudden hostility, "'How', what?"

"How . . . do you do it?"

"How do I do what?"

"How," Dontae's teeth were grinding, "do you get all the chicks? Single, married, civilians, criminals, how?" The Rogue merely sighed in exasperation and brushed Dontae's hands off of his collar.

Mewtwo then spoke up, its mouth not moving in the slightest, "I sent those criminals to your nearest human law-enforcement facility. I'm quite certain they will know how to deal with them."

The Rogue approached Mewtwo, maintaining calm in spite of the Psychic-type's imposing presence (also in spite of Raichu still hanging onto his leg in utter glee). "Thank you," he looked up at the Pokémon that stood several inches taller than him, "You've made the right decision. There is so much good you can do for Kanto, maybe the world. What you have done with your gift has determined who you are."

The Rogue wasn't sure, but he could swear he saw Mewtwo smile. "I leave you with a single warning. That being you travel with . . . . . the wickedness I sensed . . . . you have no idea of the doom that awaits you unless it is stopped." Mewtwo then began to glow blue in preparation for its departure, "Tread with care, detective. Until we meet again." Then with that same bluish glow and the strange sound of rushing air, Mewtwo was gone.

The Rogue felt himself nodding, even long after Mewtwo disappeared. He knew Mewtwo must have been referring to Scyther, remembering the Psychic-type's reaction to its unbridled ferocity. The Rogue saw this as a well-intentioned, yet unnecessary reminder; from here, the Rogue only hoped that Tanshin had managed to teach Scyther some self-control in the short time since it left his team.

The group then approached the rock wall that kept Stacy on one side. Golem remained outside its PokéBall, and at Tanshin's command, pulled in its head and limbs and began spinning forward in place, Digging a deep crater where it sat. In moments, the tunneling ceased, and the Rogue, Dontae and Tanshin could hear a fearful scream from Stacy.

"Relax, sweetheart!" Tanshin called, "The Golem is mine! We're gonna get you outta there, okay?"

"T-Tanshin, sir?" Stacy answered, her voice puzzled at first, then nervously submissive, "Umm, o-okay . . ." There was a sound of dirt moving on the other side, alongside a quick, sharp squeal from Stacy as she slipped a bit. The sound of moving earth grew louder a little bit at a time, until Stacy crawled up out of the hole in the dirt that led to her side. She instantly raced to the Rogue and hugged him, and the Rogue (uneasily, as usual) returned it. She did the same to Dontae as Golbat clambered through the hole, racing to the Rogue and flapping at his side, chittering in glee. As Charmander was the last to exit, running to Dontae and tackling him to the ground in a monster hug, Stacy approached Tanshin, her face a vivid red. "Umm, thank you for helping me, Tanshin, sir," she said just barely above a whisper, her hands behind her back and one leg bent inward, the sure signs of infatuation.

"Anytime, my dear," Tanshin replied benignly as he returned his Golem. He then gave a graceful bow, at which Stacy giggled femininely.

The Rogue then approached Tanshin, trying with every fiber not to let his temper go at the indignity of what had to be said, "I suppose I should thank you, too. This proved to be another distraction for me, but your intentions were noble enough. Without your help, I wouldn't have been able to get to the Plateau in time." The Rogue could just feel the bad taste in his mouth those words left behind.

"Well, you're welcome, Ryoguchi—"

"Stop calling me that."

"—but I wish I knew how to get you to trust me with this case you're on. I think I can handle keeping a secret, and if this case is as important as you say, you'll need all the help you can get."

The Rogue took a deep sigh and cradled his head between his thumb and forefinger. Glancing off to the side, he saw Dontae recounting their harrowing battle with Indigo and Azure (embellishing his own role while downplaying the appearance of Mewtwo) while Stacy and Charmander listened with wide eyes. Looking around quickly, as if to spot Kaine's yet-unseen spy eavesdropping on his explanation, he took Tanshin back into the cave area where the battle over Moltres took place. Now as isolated as he could manage to make them both, he began explaining:

"There's a madman hiding at the Indigo Plateau, waiting until the final round of the League Tournament before he detonates a set of explosives hidden there. If I go in there and start looking around, he'll know it, and set them off early. So the only way to get in without alerting him to my presence is to enter the tournament incognito. That's why I needed to become a Trainer again. That's why I've been collecting Gym Badges. I have to find this man and stop him before every man, woman, child and Pokémon at the Plateau is doomed. At first, I just wanted you to stay out of my business, so I didn't tell you, but now I'm not sure I have a choice. We think he has a spy near us at all times, because he seems to know each and every move we make as we make it. If I told you anything, there was always a chance he'd change his own actions accordingly to be prepared to fight you, too."

Tanshin was silent for a long time, his expression pensive. After taking in all the details of what his son had just mentioned, Tanshin finally responded, "You're absolutely sure he'll do it?"

"Check in with Professor Oak if you don't believe it," the Rogue replied, "He sent a message to him in Pallet Town as a challenge to me. He thinks I can't stop him, so he let me know ahead of time. I don't know why or how he's doing this, but I can't let him do it."

Tanshin's eyes went slightly wide as more and more became clear to him. "Well, for this guy to force you back into being a Trainer, he's got to be a real genius!" he joked, but stopped smiling at the reproachful look on the Rogue's face. Tanshin then sighed and continued seriously, "Well, there's two more days until the tournament starts, and tomorrow is the last day for registration. You'll need quite a bit of training in the meantime, and you'll need someone to hold onto the Pokémon your not using during the tournament. I imagine you'll need your Scyther and Raichu back to help you compete, as well."

The Rogue nodded, "Only if you've managed to do well enough in training them this past week." He then glanced back at Dontae as he reenacted his Wartortle's evolution into Blastoise, Stacy hanging onto his every word. "Dontae has helped me so much," the Rogue admitted, "but you're right, it won't be enough for what I'm doing. And Stacy is my number-one priority. This lunatic has been after her and her father, too, and she can't get any more involved."

Tanshin nodded, "Well, what do you say we do a little training for your Golbat on the rest of the way to the Plateau?" He then took out another PokéBall, and it sprang open with a PANG.

In a flash of light, Tanshin's Dragonite appeared, flapping her tiny wings and lowing comically, "Baaaaar-bwar!"

The Rogue was confused at first, but Tanshin explained, "My Dragonite knows Double-Edge, which is a highly powerful move used only by expert Trainers." The Rogue knew this, but allowed Tanshin to continue, "I think your Golbat has the potential to use it well. What do you say, son? You've got nothing to lose by trying it."

The Rogue considered this, and realized that Golbat's moveset was a bit lacking compared to the rest of his nearly-fully-developed team. With a move like Double-Edge in the Rogue's arsenal, there was no question that the Rogue would definitely be ready for Kaine when he finally revealed himself. Slowly, the Rogue looked to his father, and nodded his approval.


	26. 26 - Indigo Intrigue, Part 1

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#26: Indigo Intrigue, Part 1

The end of one day and the entirety of another came and went since the Royal Pair had been apprehended. The Rogue and company had made it to the Indigo Plateau just before dusk, and the Rogue had registered his team with the Pokémon League officials under (much to his chagrin) his given name: 'Ryoguchi'. The rest of their arrival night had been spent training like mad, and Golbat had undoubtedly began to show excellent progress in learning Double-Edge. Raichu, while still exhibiting unbridled adoration for her Trainer, had also improved in her short time with Tanshin (the horror story of Raichu's first day under Tanshin's wing had made Dontae and Charmander giggle slightly). Even Scyther, while still dangerously strong, had shown that its rage was slowly softening, even to the point where the Rogue started believing that Mewtwo may have been wrong.

The next day was the ceremonial torch-lighting to begin the tournament, which would hold six rounds taking place over the course of the next six days. The ceremony took most of the day, and when it was over, the Rogue made the decision to spend the rest of the day resting. Dontae had held no objections aside from where they would all stay (the Rogue, as a competitor, was granted a temporary suite with more than enough room to accommodate the three of them, along with Golbat and Charmander), but Stacy had appeared nervous at the detective's intentions. "Shouldn't you be preparing for the tournament?" she had asked, "How will you be ready? And how are you gonna investigate the Plateau without Kaine knowing?"

The Rogue had explained rather simply, "While I'm battling, you two will case the place. Keep a sharp eye, and try to be inconspicuous. Golbat will be keeping watch from the skies when I'm not using it in battle. I've already studied all my possible opponents and their Pokémon, so I'll be ready for just about anything during this tournament."

"Wait a minute!" Dontae had piped up from behind the miniature refrigerator, "You mean to tell me that you've looked up every single competitor in the tournament and their Pokémon, and memorized them all?!"

The Rogue had simply shrugged and nodded, "Basically, yes. Remember, memory is an important part of detection." After that, not much more had been said.

Finally, the day of the first match of the Indigo League Tournament was in full swing. The four coliseum-shaped structures housing the tournament battles were loaded to the brim with screaming fans, observing competitors, as well as an inconspicuous-looking Dontae, Stacy and Charmander—and perhaps, one man who was not there for the fun of the tournament.

Stepping out into the sun from the inside of the coliseum, the Rogue made his way to one side of the middle area's prepared battlefield. In keeping with his plan of staying incognito, he was now dressed in the complete opposite of his usual attire. Instead of his long-sleeved dark-blue duster, he wore a sleeveless, dark-red V-neck (suggested by Dontae) and black jeans, along with plain black-and-white tennis shoes and a pair of ridiculous-looking green fingerless gloves (the last of which was also suggested by Dontae; when he had also suggested a silly-looking red baseball cap made for ten-year-olds, the Rogue had given him a better suggestion for a place to put the hat). With a newly-bought pair of sunglasses and PokéBall clip belt from the Plateau gift shop, 'Ryoguchi' was ready for the preliminary round of the Indigo League Tournament.

"Welcome, welcome, welcome, ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer's voice boomed all over the stadium from the spectators' box, "After an entire year, here we are again at the Kanto region's premier event, the Indigo Plateau's Pokémon League Tournament! Sixty-four competitors, working hard all year to collect this region's eight badges, have converged on this great landmark in northwestern Kanto to participate in the be-all, end-all of Pokémon supremacy!" The Rogue resisted the urge to groan; this guy's voice was going to become annoying very soon.

Walking up to him from the other side of the battlefield was the Rogue's opponent, a young boy of about twelve, with smooth, slicked-back hair and a look of confident determination in his eyes. As collected as he seemed, the Rogue couldn't help but speculate that this kid was here for the first time, trying to pass himself off as an expert in Pokémon training. Almost ashamed of believing it, the detective knew for a fact that this kid would not last five minutes in this battle.

But the Rogue's thoughts were elsewhere. In the surrounding crowds, Dontae, Stacy and Charmander were keeping their eyes open for anything unusual, and Golbat was doing the same thing miles above them, having an advantageous bird's (or bat's) eye view of all the events below. The Rogue considered himself lucky that this battle would require so little focus; it was the perfect opportunity to observe anything and everything going on in this stadium, all while hiding from the psychopath Kaine in plain sight.

As the two competitors met in the middle of the battlefield for the courtesy pre-battle handshake, the young boy had a cocky sneer on his face. "Hmmph," he scoffed as he took the Rogue's hand with a limp, uninterested grip, "Try not to lose too quickly, 'kay? I wanna stay interested before I win this tournament." The Rogue stayed silent, eyeing the young smart-aleck with mild distaste.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the first match, the preliminary round!" the loud announcer bellowed excitedly as the two battlers made their way to their respective positions, "Young up-and-comer George will be facing a late entrant, Ryoguchi! Remember, gentlemen, this is one-on-one for entry into the main event, so keep it clean!" The Rogue nodded to himself as he took out his PokéBall. He was right; the announcer was already a nuisance.

George took up his PokéBall and threw it with an unnecessary flourish, "Dodrio, tear this creep to shreds!" His PokéBall exploded in midair with a PANG, and in a flash of light, a large brown ostrich with three heads appeared. Each head had a pair of sharp eyes and a black V-shaped crest on the forehead, and it sported long, pinkish-red tail feathers, all absent from its pre-evolution, Doduo. The right head gave a high-pitched squeal, while the left head let out a low, rumbling honk. The remaining head was truly in the middle with a mid-tune chirp.

The Rogue steadied his nerves, analyzed his opponent, and threw his own PokéBall, completing his disguise with his own battle cry, "Scyther, strategize!" With a flash and a PANG, Scyther appeared, notably less ferocious than usual, but still eager to strike the first blow.

On the jumbo screen that surveyed the arena, situated across from the spectator's box, two large portrait shots appeared, one for George (again showcasing his confident smirk) and another for the Rogue (credited as 'Ryoguchi'). Underneath each was a smaller circle that displayed a small, yet full-body shot of each competitor's Pokémon: Dodrio underneath George's picture, Scyther underneath 'Ryoguchi's'. "And now, the battle begins!" the announcer boomed, "George starts with a type-advantageous Dodrio while Ryoguchi begins with a fierce-looking Scyther! What kind of tricks can we expect from Ryoguchi to pull him out of this troubling situation? We'll just have to wait and see!"

"'Tricks'?" George smirked, "You got nothin'! Dodrio, start off with Pursuit!" All three of Dodrio's heads cawed as it raced at Scyther, its body becoming coated in a dark aura that made the Rogue become oddly nostalgic of his old Beedrill.

"Use Double Team!" the Rogue countered, and while Scyther turned back to flash a detesting glare, it complied. In moments, it used mind-boggling speed to split itself into two images, and Dodrio struck through the fake Scyther just in time.

"And Ryoguchi's Scyther saves itself with a lightning-fast Double Team!" the announcer bellowed excitedly, "We might just see an interesting battle here after all, folks! Ryoguchi might just avoid being kicked out of the tournament early with smooth tactics like that!" The Rogue could only grind his teeth, resist the urge to tell the announcer off, and take quick glances at the crowd, scouring the area for anything out of the ordinary. So far, nothing.

"Hmmph! Cute!" George gave another cocky smirk, "But running and hiding won't help you! Dodrio, Drill Peck!" Dodrio gave another round of caws as all three heads began rotating back and forth. At once, it took another flying leap, spinning furiously in midair and aiming its three long, thin, spinning beaks directly at Scyther.

Or, rather, Scyther's copies.

"Double Team again!" the Rogue called out as he took another cursory glance at the crowd.

"Scyyyy . . ." Scyther grumbled as it took another order, and this time, two Scythers split into four, and Dodrio's second move missed.

"Damn coward!" George yelled, stamping his foot, "Stop delaying your loss! Take a beating like a man! Dodrio, use Tri Attack!" Dodrio obeyed by throwing its heads up in the air, each one generating a powerful sphere of energy with its beak; one was yellow and seemed to crackle with electricity, the second was red and radiated heat, while the third was blue and emitted a frozen mist.

"Wow!" the announcer awed, "Dodrio's Tri Attack might just be enough to put the kibosh on Scyther's Double Teaming tactics! With an equal chance to Burn, Paralyze or Freeze, Scyther's in deep trouble if that move hits!"

Dodrio threw its heads forward, throwing the spheres through the air, and as they flew, they connected with each other through streams of energy and spun around each other in the air. The Tri Attack came closer, surging with power, closing in faster by the second.

It missed. Once again, one of Scyther's clones took the attack, and the real Scyther was unharmed.

"I don't believe it!' the announcer bellowed, and the Rogue almost let himself cover his ears, "Ryoguchi's Scyther evades danger again! It seems like the underdog Ryoguchi is slowly turning into a real contender in the eyes of the crowds!" As annoyed as the Rogue was with the announcer, he was right; the audience seemed to be watching Scyther's every move, cheering and hollering with each dodge.

Still keeping an eye on the crowds for any unusual stirring, the Rogue began his offensive, "Scyther, use Fury Cutter!"

"Scythaaaaaaa!" despite its obedience, the Mantis Pokémon roared in defiance as it zoomed across the battlefield. Aiming its arm blade, it swept a vicious cut across Dodrio that made the Triple Bird Pokémon caw in annoyance. It didn't do much damage now, but it would be far worse later.

Before the announcer could criticize the Rogue's seemingly rookie move, the Rogue called another attack, "Fury Cutter!" A split-second faster than the Rogue's command, Scyther blitzed the field and landed another cut, twice as strong as the last. Dodrio honked in misery again.

The announcer was back after a temporary silence, "Well . . . . it seems somebody's got some fight in them after all! Ryoguchi's Scyther makes its devastating offensive, and George appears to be petrified with fright!"

George then looked up and scoffed at the announcer's box, "Fright?! I'll show you 'fright'! Drill Peck again, Dodrio!" Dodrio cawed and charged in for another spiraling peck attack, but Scyther saw it coming and dove back into its clones; the Drill Peck missed once again as it sailed through an ersatz Scyther. The raging Bug-type retaliated with another Fury Cutter, its strongest yet.

"UNBELIEVABLE!" the announcer screamed, and once again, the Rogue wanted desperately to strangle him, "Ryoguchi's tactics are winning him the battle! He's so calm and full of style, he's not even giving Scyther orders anymore!"

The Rogue caught this, and realized with horror that he was right; once Scyther stopped taking orders and began fighting of its own accord, things would quickly get ugly soon. Its battle with Janine's Arbok taught him that very well. Quickly, he took back command, "All right, Scyther, one more Fury Cu—"

"SCYYYYYY!" Scyther bellowed, not listening as it reared up and Slashed Dodrio hard.

"Uh-oh!" the announcer chimed in annoyingly once again, "Looks like Scyther's getting carried away! If Ryoguchi can't get a handle on it, he may end up being disqualified!"

The Rogue was impressed with himself for not lashing out at the announcer yet, but he knew that he was again correct. "Scyther!" the Rogue called out, "Listen to me! Ease up on the power! Use the moves I tell you to!"

Scyther still wasn't listening, and it screamed wrathfully as it Slashed Dodrio again. The Flying-type honked as it flew forward for another Pursuit, but because of Scyther's repeated Double Team techniques, it was Dodrio's last ill-placed move—one last Wing Attack from Scyther, and Dodrio hit the ground, soundly defeated and trilling in pain.

The crowds around the combatants roared, and the announcer's voice came back on, wildly exclaiming, "And it's over! Ryoguchi, whom we believed to be the underdog in this battle, has soundly defeated his opponent without having his Scyther take even a scratch of damage—" he was interrupted when Scyther flew furiously toward its fallen opponent, stamping down onto its feathery body and digging its toe-claws deep so it couldn't escape. Like with Janine's Arbok, Scyther lifted one blade-arm in the air, poised to slice off all three heads at once and end the battle definitively.

And, like before, the Rogue returned his Scyther quickly before any irreparable damage could occur.

Up on the jumbo screen, George and Dodrio's pictures faded to black, and 'Ryoguchi' and Scyther's pictures overtook the entirety of the screen, gaining shiny gilded edging to perpetuate the Rogue's status as the winner. The crowd's cheers surged, and the Rogue took a deep sigh, waving to the crowd and smiling. As he waved, instead of showing his gratitude for their support, the Rogue continued to scan the area for any unusual activity.

Unsurprisingly, but still disturbingly, nothing was amiss.

The Rogue returned to his suite to await the return of his comrades (minus Golbat, who still flied the skies over the Plateau). Dontae and Charmander had already been there, and they both congratulated the Rogue for his victory. Stacy was last to arrive, and the detective received her congratulations, as well—in the form of a great big hug.

"You were awesome, Detective!" Stacy squealed in glee, "At first, I panicked when you started with Scyther, but you pulled through! I knew you would!"

The Rogue nodded as Stacy squeezed him tightly, and when they parted, he began the necessary inquiries, "You guys see anything unusual in the other arenas?"

Dontae shrugged, "Charmander and I went up one side of the Northern Coliseum and down the other. Nothing out of place there." Charmander nodded in agreement, looking bleary-eyed and sleepy from the work it put into the search.

"And I looked all over the place in the Eastern Coliseum," Stacy added, "I didn't see anything either." Her face suddenly showed concern, "Maybe this was a bad idea, Detective. I mean, I know you're in disguise and everything, but if Kaine's been following our progress all the way until now, then he has to know all of your Pokémon by now. What if he knows you're here, and tries to blow the place up anyway?"

The Rogue shook his head, "I doubt it. I'm still not sure why, but he wanted me to enter this tournament, as a Trainer. In his mind, everything's going exactly as he planned it, so he won't alter his schedule yet."

"But we haven't found anything!" Dontae exclaimed, "If he's really planning something, he's being really sneaky about it, even for him. Stacy and I checked out two whole arenas today, and we didn't find jack!"

The Rogue considered this carefully before answering, "Hmmm . . . this must mean he'll be keeping his word, and will wait until the day of the finals. Nevertheless, we have to stay vigilant. I was in the Southern Coliseum during my match, and nothing appeared unusual, so that just leaves the Western Coliseum. Check that one out together tomorrow, then pay a visit to the Southern Coliseum to double check. The next day, we investigate the Plateau's main building. I'll help when I can, but I have to stay inconspicuous, or Kaine will know I'm working the case, and he might detonate the place ahead of time. If it's you two looking around, he might not make his move early."

Stacy still looked fretted, "But how do you know he won't when he sees us snooping? Are you sure he'll do it if he just sees you?"

The Rogue sighed and closed his eyes, unsure of the answer himself. "It's an unlikely loophole," he said truthfully, "but its the only one we have."

All three glanced at one another, then slowly nodded, as if everything had been decided. "We'll handle as much as we can, Private Eye," Dontae assured, "and if we see Kaine, we'll bring him down ourselves! You probably won't even need to get involved!"

Charmander nodded again, its eyes burning as brilliantly as its tail, "Char! Charmander!"

Stacy gently held the Rogue's arm, looking up at him with those innocent baby-blue eyes, "Detective . . . . please, be careful. We're counting on you."

The Rogue slowly shook his head, "I'm the one who should be saying that. You two will be much closer to the danger." He took a deep sigh before continuing, "If anyone should be careful, its you all."

Raichu leaped gracefully out of the way of a Supersonic attack, and launched another Flash, sparking a blinding beam of light from her cheeks that dazed its opponent. Raichu's foe, a Magneton (the evolved form of Magnemite, which looked like three Magnemites linked together in a triangle) swiveled as it floated in midair, its vision and its aim compromised.

"And another evasive maneuver from Ryoguchi's Raichu!" came another obnoxious supplement from the announcer on the second day of the tournament, "Ryoguchi has been the new favorite to take this tournament since his flawless win in the prelims yesterday, but let's just see if Alexa can put a stop to that!"

The Rogue's opponent, an attractive but fierce-looking young woman with long blue hair tied in a ponytail, scoffed in frustration at 'Ryoguchi's' tactics, "Ugh! Typical man, always using sneaky tricks instead of being straightforward! Well, I saw your battle yesterday, so prepare to be emasculated! Magneton, use Lock-On!"

Magneton then froze in midair and simply stared at Raichu, following her every move as the whites in the centers of its three 'bodies' began blinking. Raichu went left, Magneton followed. Raichu feinted right, Magneton caught its movements. After a few seconds, Magneton emitted a beeping sound, and its three 'eyes' glowed red, as if whatever next move it would make was ready for launch.

And Alexa launched it immediately, "Now, Magneton, send that Raichu and its alpha-male wannabe Trainer packing with Zap Cannon!" Magneton obeyed, conjuring a blue sphere of rumbling, hissing electricity.

The Rogue reacted accordingly, "Raichu, use Thunder!"

"Chu, Rai-chu, rai-chu!" the Mouse Pokémon dutifully responded before charging what had become her signature move. "Raaaaaaaaiiiiiiii . . ." she bellowed as electricity coated her pelt; the thunderdrop that sounded off around the arena was bigger, louder and more awe-inspiring than ever before, "CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

Raichu's Thunder, which had gone from being a blistering bolt of crackling electricity to a sweeping, tempestuous wave of roaring electricity (a testament to Raichu's training with Tanshin) rolled in toward Magneton while the Electric/Steel hybrid launched its Zap Cannon. Magneton was hit hard by the awesome might of the Thunder attack, but despite Raichu's best efforts to dodge the move, it followed her leaps and sidesteps perfectly every time. When it finally struck, it knocked her upwards and made her fly across the stadium and land roughly in front of the Rogue. The blue electricity surged across Raichu's body, and when she tried to move, she whined in pain; she had been instantly Paralyzed.

"What a counterattack!" the announcer blared, grating on the Rogue's nerves, "Alexa has delivered a punishing blow to Ryoguchi's evasive maneuvers! There is no shortage of girl power today, ladies and gentlemen!"

"Hmmph! Damn right!" Alexa sneered, her hands on her hips in a triumphant stance, "No _man_ is gonna send me running and hiding! Magneton, use Metal Sound!" Magneton then began to emit a horrific sound; it was similar to Screech and Supersonic in many ways, but instead of a high-pitched squeal, it sounded much more like scraping metal.

The Rogue knew this attack would make Raichu more susceptible to special attacks (like the powerful Zap Cannon), and took the chance to demonstrate a new move, "Raichu, use Focus Punch!"

"Chu!" Raichu loyally complied. Using the time it took for Magneton to use Metal Sound, she braved the painful sound and curled up one stubby paw into a fist; the fist emitted a white-hot glow.

Alexa saw this, and quickly tried to execute her own countermeasure, "Oh no you don't! Zap Cannon again, Magneton!" Magneton conjured another ball of sizzling blue lightning and launched it at Raichu, but because it hadn't used Lock-On beforehand, the move's appalling accuracy hurt it severely. Zap Cannon missed, Raichu charged, and it slammed the Focus Punch into Magneton, bringing it down to the ground with a rough crash. Magneton writhed on the ground a little before going limp, out of commission for the rest of the battle.

"And that's one Pokémon down, folks!" the announcer bellowed to a roaring crowd, "Ryoguchi is halfway into this two-on-two match already! Will he fulfill expectations and take the match with this next battle, or will Alexa make the mother of all comebacks?!"

Alexa scowled as she returned her fallen Magneton, "Oh, whoop-de-doo! You think you're so big and strong because of one win! Big man gonna send the little girl running scared, right? Wrong!" Her scowl intensified as she deployed her next Pokémon, "I choose Dewgong!"

With a flash and a PANG, large, white and elegant sea lion-like Pokémon took to the field. It swept its billowy front and tail fins about and waved the sharp horn on top of its head threateningly, "DEW, gong-gong!"

"Seems the woman warrior Alexa is backed into a corner!" the announcer hollered on as the jumbo screen blacked out Magneton's picture and illuminated Dewgong's, "Her Dewgong has the clear type disadvantage here! Let's see if Raichu's Paralysis will balance things out a bit!"

"SHUT UP!" Alexa finally screamed at the announcer (making the Rogue breath a heavy sigh of relief; finally _someone_ said it!) before starting the next round in earnest, "Now, then Dewgong, Signal Beam!"

"Raichu, Double Team!" the Rogue countered, but Raichu wasn't quick enough. At once, Dewgong conjured a brilliant, multicolored light that blitzed the field and struck Raichu before she could make her move. After the light faded, Raichu's eyes spun in her head, and she stumbled around the area, slapping her own face in her Confusion.

"Wow! Confused and Paralyzed!" the announcer supplemented loudly, "It would do Ryoguchi some good to watch his back from now on! No telling what disasters a Confused and Paralyzed Pokémon could run into!"

The announcer was nearly finished when the Rogue suddenly brought out Raichu's PokéBall and returned her in a flash of laser light, "Raichu, regroup!" (The Electric-type had a look of shame on her face just beforehand.) Quickly swapping PokéBalls, the Rogue brought out a new Ball and sent in out, "Horsea, strategize!" In a flash of white, Horsea was summoned, and Raichu's picture was dimmed down to black and white while Horsea's was displayed in full color.

"Well, now!" the announcer reacted zealously to this change, "Ryoguchi decides that it's better to be safe than sorry, and swaps out his crippled Raichu for a healthy and vibrant—albeit tiny—Horsea! Two Water-types duking it out for the crowds! Who will take it!"

At the same time, both Trainers made the same command: "Ice Beam!" At the same time, both Pokémon launched a freezing-cold blast of light from their mouths. The Ice Beam attacks sailed past each other and struck their respective targets, each one not harshly affected.

The Rogue followed up quickly, "Water Pulse!" Horsea whinnied its assent and spat out a series of pulsing water rings at Dewgong.

"You men are so predictable!" Alexa yelled condescendingly, "Dewgong, Safeguard!"

"Goooooong!" Dewgong lowed as it instantly conjured a shield made of bright, shimmering mini-stars. The move didn't block the damage (which wasn't much to begin with, anyway), but it did prevent the Rogue's strategy from working; Dewgong was now protected from the potential Confusion of Water Pulse, as well as all other status ailments.

The Rogue thought quickly and switched strategies, "Use Twister!" Horsea whinnied again and took a deep breath; in an instant, a towering whirlwind of blue energy went flying toward Dewgong.

"Nice try!" Alexa snapped smugly, "Dewgong, Waterfall!" Dewgong suddenly coated itself in water and rushed across the field, bravely weathered the damage from the Twister it sailed through, and caught Horsea in the abdomen with its horn, swimming up its own column of water as it drove the tiny blue creature with it. Squealing in agony, Horsea flew upwards another few feet before it fell, landing harshly on the hard ground.

At first it didn't get up, and the announcer declared Horsea's defeat early, "Well, folks, there you have it! It's now a tie game between these competitors, and Ryoguchi's Raichu is still Para—wait . . ." Everyone in the stadium watched in awe as Horsea began to get up.

And began to glow.

As the white light obscured it, its silhouette melded from its new form back to its old, over and over again. The light finally subsided in a burst of sparkles, and Horsea was no longer a Horsea. It had nearly tripled in size, the ridges down its belly became stiff, jagged, and more pronounced, and its eyes, simple facial crests and flimsy fins had all grown longer, sharper, and more deadly.

"AMAZING!" the announcer screamed animatedly to the excited audience that already knew it, "In a desperate crisis, Ryoguchi's Horsea has pressed on with the battle, and the true grit it has shown gave rise to its evolution into a Seadra! Incredible, folks, absolutely incredible!"

"Will you pipe down!" Alexa screamed again, then rounded on the Rogue, "I don't care how big and strong your Pokémon are! I'll still dominate you! Dewgong, Signal Beam!"

"Smokescreen!" the Rogue countered, and Seadra squawked as it spat a thick cloud of smoke all over the Rogue's end of the field. Dewgong's multicolored beam sailed into the smoke, but the murky blackness obscured Seadra, and there was no visible or audible evidence that it had been stricken.

"No!" Alexa whined, "Do it again, Dewgong! Signal Beam!" Once again, Dewgong launched a psychedelic wave of light into the smoke. The dark cloud had spread all the way out to Alexa's side of the battlefield now; not even Dewgong was visible in the smoky dark. But what was visible was the reappearance of Dewgong's shimmery Safeguard shield. It reappeared for a split-second before dimming down and breaking up.

That's when the Rogue took his chance, "Now! Water Pulse!" Seadra could be heard cawing as another series of pulsating water rings powered through the darkness, arcing from one end of the battlefield to the other. When the smoke finally cleared, Dewgong was seen wavering on the spot, bashing its horned head into the ground in Confusion.

Once again, the announcer gave the play-by-play, "Incredible, folks! Seadra's Smokescreen gives it the same advantage that Raichu's Flash gave it, and the subsequent Water Pulse was given with utmost security! Now without a Pokémon to switch with, Alexa must remain with a Confused Dewgong until the Confusion wears off, but can she do it?!"

The Rogue didn't wait around to find out; instead, he brought out Seadra's Ball and returned it, "Seadra, regroup!" Quickly switching it with Raichu's, he redeployed the Electric rodent with a PANG, "Raichu, strategize!"

Still shaky from Paralysis, Raichu showed that she was free of the Confusion and ready to return to the fray. "Another quick switch on Ryoguchi's part!" the announcer continued his irritating narration as Seadra's picture (having changed from Horsea's picture after its evolution) faded to black-and-white while Raichu's monochrome picture regained color, "What will the Trainers do now?"

Alexa gasped, knowing fully well what the Rogue intended to do, "No! No, no, no, I won't let you! Ice Beam, Dewgong!" Dewgong got its wits together temporarily and fired another frozen beam of light at Raichu, Seadra's Smokescreen remained on the field in wispy veils. The icy beam just barely missed Raichu.

That's when the Rogue ended it: "Thunder!"

"RAAAAAAAAAIIIIIII . . ." Raichu's determination to make up for her mistakes seemed to increase the power of her attack, and even the ground beneath them seemed to rumble with the coming of the Thunder, "CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"

Raichu's booming electric attack rolled across the field and pelted the helplessly stupefied Dewgong relentlessly. When the attack subsided, Dewgong's fur was blackened in most places, and it fell backwards in a smoldering heap, dazed and defeated, "Gooooooooooong . . . ."

"AND THE MATCH IS OVER!" the announcer added to the riotous screams of the crowd, "Ryoguchi takes another swift win, this time without losing either of his Pokémon! The man is a force to be reckoned with, but will he keep his momentum in tomorrow's "zero-substitution" match? Only time will tell!" Above them, Dewgong's—along with Alexa's—picture faded completely to black and, just as before, the Rogue and his two Pokémon took up the whole screen, their pictures gaining shiny golden frames to signify it.

Alexa collapsed onto her knees as she stared at her Dewgong, still and smoking on the battlefield. Suddenly, she threw her hands up to her face and began to cry, "WAAAAAAAH-HAAAAAAAAH! No fair! You men are all such barbarians! You can't just step all over a delicate flower like me! I'm sensitive, damn it! I'M SENSITIVE! WAAAAAAAAAAAAH-HAAAAAAAAAAAAH-HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

The Rogue merely cradled his face in one hand as he made to return his Raichu, but was caught by surprise when the excitable Pokémon suddenly raced to him and threw her girth into him for an affectionate, balance-throwing hug, "Rai-chu, rai-chu! Rai-rai-rai-chu!"

The Rogue walked once again into the battlefield on the third day. The third round was already upon him, and Dontae and Stacy were still about, searching the premises for any suspicious occurrences. With Golbat still taking to the skies, the Rogue was confident he could rest easy while he competed in the tournament; he knew that his friends' sharp eyes would be alert for anything unusual, and when that happened, he'd be ready.

"And here we are again, ladies and gentlemen!" the obnoxious announcer hollered, "The third round of the Indigo League Tournament! Things will be tricky in today's three-on-three match-up, due to the 'zero-substitutions policy! Hopefully, both combatants have chosen their teams wisely for this round!"

The Rogue's opponent, Nelson, was a man roughly his own age, with brown hair so short, it wasn't much more than stubble. The two shook hands and wished each other good luck, and both took their respective places on the battlefield. On the way there, the Rogue quietly processed his newest theory, quietly resolving to pay close attention to his opponent throughout the match. Not just because of the battle, but because he believed it could help him solve his case:

Was Kaine a competitor in this very tournament?

By now, thanks to the messages he'd been receiving, the Rogue had clearly established that Kaine was an adult male, so his first two opponents were already out. He also speculated that Kaine would most likely be a powerful Trainer, so anyone who ended up losing in the tournament so far was also most likely out. The Rogue reminded himself to double-check on the online profiles of each competitor again and exclude the unlikeliest suspects. He still felt, though, that he needed to pay attention to every Trainer he faced in this tournament. No stone could afford to be left unturned.

"Excitement mounts here at the Plateau, folks," the announcer shouted the obvious again, "Ryoguchi has proven to be a brilliant and fierce competitor in this year's tournament! On the other hand, Nelson is a tricky Trainer who's been known to maliciously outmaneuver and outsmart his opponents! The third round match between these two Trainer titans will now begin!"

Both Trainers took out a PokéBall to start the match. "Hypno, begin!' Nelson called out as he threw, and with a flash of white, an impish-looking yellow Pokémon appeared. It had a pointy nose and ears, a fluffy white collar of fur, and in its hand, it carried a small string, dangling from which appeared to be a small, round trinket. The strange device gave the impression of a hypnotist's pendulum.

The Rogue countered with his own starting battler, "Kabutops, strategize!" Kabutops appeared in a flash, eyeing its foe with calculative lethality. Both Trainers' pictures were displayed on the jumbo screen, and beneath them their respective Pokémon were displayed as well.

"Hypno," Nelson began calmly, "Use Psychic." Hypno merely nodded, jerked its pendulum up into its hand, and waved the other hand through the air; its eyes glowed a deep blue.

"Sand-Attack!" the Rogue called out, and Kabutops crouched down low, sweeping its massive claw against the ground and showering Hypno with sand just as its Psychic attack was launched. Hypno's aim was thrown, and the air to the left of Kabutops warped and twisted with the effects of the attack.

The Rogue followed up quickly, "Move in with Slash!" Kabutops then broke into a full run, dragging its claws against the ground and creating long, thin trenches on either side in the dirt. With a powerful uppercut, Kabutops swiped, and Hypno was thrown back by the force of the attack.

Nelson seemed to pick this as the moment he was waiting for, and acted, "Hypnosis."

Hypno quickly got up and began humming, dangling its pendulum and swinging it back and forth in front of Kabutops' face, "Hmmmmmmmm . . . hmmmmmmmmm . . . hmmmmmmmmm . . ." Kabutops kept the slowly-swinging pendulum in its gaze, and in moments, the Shellfish Pokémon was asleep.

"Oh, no, folks!" the announcer yelled, "No competitors' Pokémon have been able to best this move from Nelson's Hypno! We might just be observing the mighty Ryoguchi's downfall at last!"

Nelson merely continued serenely, "Nightmare." Hypno's eyes then glowed a wicked purple, and the same aura exuded from Kabutops' head, causing it great distress as it slept. It writhed around, seeming to be trapped in slumberland, as the Nightmare drained its health little by little.

The Rogue tried to encourage Kabutop's early rise, "Come on, Kabutops! Don't quit on me now! We have to beat this guy! Please wake up!"

Nelson smiled, seeming to believe that his opponent's efforts were wasted, and added to the misery, "Dream Eater."

"HmmmmmmmmmmmHMMMMMMMMMMM!" Hypno mumbled loudly as murky purple bubbles flew from Kabutops' head, flying off to be absorbed by Hypno's body. Kabutops growled in agony again, and the growl only continued as the Nightmare injured it even more.

"And this is the combo many Pokémon have fallen to, folks!" the announcer reminded, much to the Rogue's annoyance, "When Asleep, a Pokémon is virtually helpless, and is also weak to moves like Dream Eater and Nightmare! Just cast off Ryoguchi's Kabutops now, folks, because its all over for it now!"

Suddenly, Kabutops defied all predictions and awoke, swiftly standing back on its feet.

"Yes!" the Rogue cheered, and the crowd cheered along with him, "Now, hurry and use AncientPower!" Kabutops obeyed, roaring and stretching its claws out as a series of glowing rocks appeared out of thin air and hovered around Kabutops in a perfect circle. The rocks flew across the battlefield and struck Hypno harshly, and Kabutops growled with a newfound power. The Rogue recognized it as the side effect of AncientPower; as of now, all of Kabutops' attack, defense, speed and special stats were increased.

Once again, the announcer had to open up his big mouth, "UNBELIEVABLE! Ladies and gentlemen, this is quite a spectacle! Against all odds, Kabutops has awoken from its slumber and made a daring comeback against Hypno! We were wrong to count it out just yet, folks! This old Fossil has still got some fight left in it!"

"Hmm," Nelson grinned, "Interesting. Hypno, Psychic." Hypno launched another space-bending Psychic attack, its hand waving and its eyes glowing.

"Kabutops, Water Pulse!" the Rogue called out, and thanks to its speed boost from its AncientPower, it overtook Hypno and sprayed it with the vibrating water rings. After shaking off the Water move (and stumbling slightly in Confusion), Hypno aimed and projected the Psychic attack, this time striking Kabutops dead-center. This time, however, Kabutops wasn't quite as damaged as it had been by the Dream Eater—another perk of the power-up it received from AncientPower.

"Another Slash!" the Rogue called out, and Kabutops charged, aiming its claws for another lethal swipe.

"Hypno, Hypnosis," Nelson calmly countered, and Hypno started humming again, gently swinging its pendulum back and forth. Kabutops, wise from its last encounter with the move, jumped at the last moment and Slashed its opponent from above. Hypno grunted in pain and dropped, and the Hypnosis attack ceased.

The Rogue quickly made his follow-up, "One more Slash!" Still within close range, Kabutops spun with deadly speed and delivered a backhand swing that caught Hypno in the side. The Slash landed Critically, and Hypno went flying and tumbling through the dirt. When it landed, it twitched a bit, and made to stand, but it tripped over its own feet in its Confusion. It flopped back down to the ground and remained there.

"The action is heating up, battle fans!" the announcer declared as Nelson returned his fallen Hypno, "In a series of incredible moves, Ryoguchi's Kabutops has finished off Nelson's seemingly-unbeatable Hypno! Another impressive win for Ryoguchi! But can Nelson stop Ryoguchi's momentum and take back the battle? Let the match continue!"

_Yes, please, let it_, the Rogue thought dryly toward the announcer as the jumbo screen blackened Hypno's picture.

Nelson calmly swapped PokéBalls, and made his next summon, "Exeggutor, continue!" In a flash and a PANG, a large, bizarre-looking Pokémon stood awkwardly on the field on two thick, two-toed legs. It was easily taller than the Rogue by scant inches, and had a stout, armless body colored greyish-brown. Hanging from its top (rather than its neck, which it had none) were not one, but _three_ yellow, egg-shaped heads, each showing a goofy, toothily-grinning face. Sticking straight up on top, over its heads, was a thick forest of long, green leaves.

"Uh-oh, Ryoguchi's in trouble, folks!" the announcer bellowed (_Yes, I KNOW that, you twit!_ The Rogue thought angrily), "Exeggutor is a Grass-type, and as such, its moves will have a twice the super-effective strength against Kabutops! And since its already taken so much damage, this Rock and Water hybrid may as well be set for termination!"

The Rogue wasn't about to let that happen just yet. Still keeping a watchful eye on Nelson, the Rogue made his move, "Use Slash!" Kabutops charged, flexing a claw for the same move that had finished off Hypno.

Nelson wasted no time in his countermeasure. "Confusion," he calmly ordered.

"EX-E-GYOO-TOOOOOOOOR!" all three of Exeggutor's heads chanted, swinging back and forth like coconuts on a tree. Seconds later, the air around Kabutops warped and twisted, but the Fossil creature charged on and raked into Exeggutor's thick hide. After Exeggutor moaned and stumbled backward, Kabutops wavered on the spot, too, just as Confused as Nelson's Hypno had been minutes earlier.

"Egg Bomb," Nelson murmured serenely, yet alertly, and Exeggutor obeyed. It spun clumsily on the spot, and a series of egg-shaped projectiles flew from its leafy cranium. The egg missiles landed on Kabutops one by one, each one exploding in a burst of light and a puff of smoke that damaged Kabutops harshly. The Shellfish Pokémon ran to retaliate, but tripped and scraped itself across the ground in its own Confusion. Nelson followed up quickly, "Confusion," and the air warped around the downed Rock-type again as Exeggutor grunted and swayed some more. The second Confusion attack kept Kabutops where it lay, and it rolled over, robbed of its will to continue.

The announcer's declaration was automatic(ally irksome), "Looks like predictions were right this time, folks! Kabutops fell without putting up much of a fight, and without even taking any Grass-type hits! Clearly, it's still anyone's game, and Ryoguchi's next battler might just decide the rest of this match!"

Scowling, the Rogue returned his fallen Kabutops just as its picture went black on the jumbo screen. Opting to preserve one Pokémon for as long as possible, he made the risky choice to send in the other: "Sandslash, strategize!" The PokéBall spun in the air and sprang open in a flash, and Sandslash appeared, grinning deviously at its opponent. It seemed unfazed at the type-disadvantage, and even looked smugly intrigued at the challenge.

"WHAT!?" the announcer's voice echoed, "Is Ryoguchi insane?! Switching from one type disadvantage right to another?! What can he possibly be up to with this change?!"

Still maintaining his focus on his opponent, the Rogue showed him exactly what he was thinking. "Use Sandstorm!" he commanded fiercely.

"Wh-shash!" Sandslash complied, and began taking impressively rhythmic dance steps before executing a perfect tornado spin; the Sandstorm flew from its spinning body and obscured much of the battlefield. The Ground-type was now only fleetingly visible within the cloud of sand.

Still, Nelson remained calm, and countered, "Confusion."

"EX-E-GYOO-TOOOOOR!" the Coconut Pokémon bellowed with all three of its heads again, and it swung around dizzily once again. Sandslash could be heard moaning in pain, and while the attack couldn't be seen, it was clear that Sandslash had been damaged.

"Sandslash!" the Rogue called out, "Hang on! Fight back with Slash!"

"Wh-shash!" Sandslash called back, and it charged through the sand with its claws bared. Leaping up to Exeggutor's faces, it, like Kabutops, landing a powerful Slashing blow.

To which Nelson responded coolly, "Leech Seed." As soon as it shook off the damage from Sandslash's brutal attack, it lowered its body and launched what appeared to be a seed-like projectile from its leafy top. The seed stuck onto Sandslash just before it could dive back into the Sandstorm. The last image seen of it was that it writhed about and rubbed its claws against its fur, which had suddenly sprouted with thin, leafy vines all over that seemed to be sapping its health.

"Ohhh, more trouble for Ryoguchi, folks!" the announcer's voice crowed, "Leech Seed will suck health from Sandslash periodically and heal Exeggutor right after! And with the Confusion to deal with, Sandslash may just go down swinging, but down nonetheless!"

The Rogue made his next command, hoping it would count, "Another Slash!" Sandslash flexed its claws and raced toward its opponent, ducking low under the dust devil, but caught itself in the face with its own claw. It had indeed, as the announcer said, been Confused.

"Now, Poisonpowder," Nelson commanded smoothly, and Exeggutor started shaking its heads and leaves again. A glittery purple powder, similar to Erika's Tangela's usage of the move, swept through the sand and rained all over Sandslash. The Rogue could see purple clouds every time Sandslash exhaled, and knew this meant trouble; it was Poisoned, Confused, and Seeded, meaning that Exeggutor hardly had to attack at all anymore. Once Sandslash's Sandstorm ended, its protection would be lost, and it would be totally exposed and vulnerable.

"Egg Bomb," Nelson muttered, and Exeggutor spun around clumsily again, ejecting more egg-shaped explosives at Sandslash. Thankfully, the Ground-type jumped at the last second, evading the move, but its attempt to counter only yielded a stumble and a fall flat on its face. Sandslash moaned as the Leech Seed sapped its health, and it wheezed as more purple clouds flew from its mouth.

The final injustice: the Sandstorm subsided, and Sandslash was no longer hidden.

Nelson's next move was quickly made, "Egg Bomb."

"TOOOOOOOR!" the Grass/Psychic beast grunted victoriously as it spun around again, throwing more egg explosives at Sandslash. Deprived of its Sand Veil protection, Sandslash took the Egg Bombs harshly, and it flew through the air and landed in a heap on the far edge of the battlefield. It made to get up, but the Confusion made it trip and tumble painfully back to the ground. One last achy moan from the Poison and the Leech Seed, it grunted a rough noise that may have been an obscenity in its own language before finally going limp with exhaustion.

"Absolutely amazing, battle fans!" the announcer was right on top of the blow-by-blow, "With an incapacitating combo of health-draining moves, Exeggutor has made short, painful work of Sandslash! The decision to use a Ground-type must be hurting Ryoguchi's conscience by now!"

The Rogue produced Sandslash's PokéBall and returned it while its jumbo picture blackened, only mildly annoyed with the announcer's words. Nelson had swept two of the Rogue's Pokémon in a row—a feat that no one but certain Gym Leaders had been able to accomplish—and he'd done it so casually, so calmly. It was as if he willed himself to take control of the situation through and through, no matter what direction the battle turned. It occurred to the Rogue then—despite the initial silliness of the idea—that, just maybe, Nelson might be the man the Rogue had been looking for this whole time.

The man the Rogue had _really_ been looking for this whole time crept along a darkened corridor in the Southern Coliseum, making absolutely sure the wires to the explosives blended in harmoniously with the paint on the walls. The indentations between the bricks made it that much easier; the untrained eye would never know there was a line in this very hall connected to a pile of volatile weaponry powerful enough to destroy everything within a mile radius.

And no one knew that similar lines ran through the halls of every building at the Plateau.

The man brought out his cell phone and quickly punched in the number. After a couple of rings, the voice on the other end answered, "I'm here."

"How goes the detective's progress?" he spoke into the receiver. His voice was deathly icy, and yet as dark and demonic as the pits of Hell.

"He's just lost his second Pokémon," the voice replied, "But I have a feeling his third will win him the battle. I'm on my way to the main building now."

"Good," he replied back, "Don't let those idiot friends of his catch you. When you arrive, stay there and wait for my signal. Once they've turned the lights back on, they won't notice the connector wires, and the switch I've built will then be able to overload the Plateau's power generators. The currents they send through the cords will be strong enough to detonate the explosives hidden under the Plateau."

"Perfect!" the voice congratulated, "I've been as close to the Rogue as you've asked. The fool doesn't suspect a thing!"

"Good," he said again, a smile crossing his lips, "I'll be back to the tournament as soon as I can. The next phase takes place during the semifinals, so remember to act when I give the signal."

"I'm looking forward to it," the voice cooed, "I can't wait to see his face when he knows he's been played!"

There was a click, then silence.


	27. 27 - Indigo Intrigue, Part 2

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#27: Indigo Intrigue, Part 2

"Charizard, strategize!"

The Rogue threw his last PokéBall of the match, and in a flash, Charizard took to the field, sweeping its proud wings across the air and bellowing a titanic roar. 'Ryoguchi's' ace-in-the-hole appeared in full color below its Trainer's picture, signaling the final bout to commence.

"This is it, folks!" the announcer yelled out, "Ryoguchi ends his match here in Round Three with an intimidating Charizard! Exeggutor is the one with the type-disadvantage here, but we'll just see how long it can last befo—"

"Heat Wave!"

Charizard suddenly threw back its head to roar, fanned its wings to create a powerful gale, and projected a blustering, searing orange volley of fiery wind from its mouth, aimed directly at Exeggutor. The Grass/Psychic creature was scorched by the blazing wind, and all three of its oblong heads groaned in agony, "UUUUUUU-TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRR!" In a few moments, the wind subsided, and Exeggutor, its leaves blackened and bent back by the Heat Wave at a perfect right angle, fell backwards and landed with a heavy WHAM, twitching in the pain of defeat.

"ASTONISHING, BATTLE-FANS!" went the ear-piercing announcement, "We all knew Ryoguchi's Charizard had the type disadvantage, but NO ONE could have predicted that it would floor Nelson's mighty Exeggutor with one move! ABSOLUTELY ASTONISHING!"

Nelson appeared to have much more patience with the announcer than the Rogue as he returned his torched Exeggutor. "I must admit, Ryoguchi," he said with his usual calm voice, "I'm very impressed with your skills. Let me just say, it's been an honor to meet you in battle."

As the scoreboard blacked out Exeggutor's picture, the Rogue blinked, allowing what Nelson just said to sink in. Nelson actually seemed to show respect for his opponent. This completely wiped away the Rogue's earlier speculation that Nelson could be the real Kaine. Kaine was, in the Rogue's observations, a grand narcissist who would never show respect to an adversary, even while incognito. Therefore, Kaine would never say something so friendly and admiring, even to his better.

Therefore, Nelson couldn't possibly be the mad terrorist.

"However," Nelson added smoothly as he swapped Exeggutor's Ball for his last, "I will prove the victor in this final round. Gengar, finish!" Nelson threw the Ball, and the flash of white and the PANG sound was the advent of Nelson's third Pokémon.

The Rogue recognized it as the evolved form of Haunter (and thus, the final form of Gastly), a squat, purple, bipedal Ghost-type with sharp, pointy ears and tail, spiky fur-like protrusions on its back, and piercing red eyes. It pushed up off the ground with its feet and floated in midair for a moment, cackling with wicked delight all the while, "Gan-ga! Gan-ga! Gan-ga! Gan-ga!"

"And here's the final round of the battle, folks!" went the unnecessary announcement from the observation box, "Ryoguchi's already-impressive Charizard is set up against Nelson's Gengar! Flames burn, fears turn, and the fans yearn for more excitement!"

The Rogue rolled his eyes and began the final round in earnest, "Charizard, Smokescreen!"

Nelson matched his move calmly, "Attract."

Just before Charizard began to breathe out the murky smoke, Gengar swept across the field in the blink of an eye, and suddenly, its eyes went from sharp and malicious to wide, rounded and innocent, bordering on coquettish. It batted its eyelashes (the Rogue didn't even know Ghost-types _had_ eyelashes) and made kissing noises at Charizard. The ghostly creature was clearly flirting with Charizard.

And it was working.

A blush clearly evident on Charizard's face, the Fire-type wavered on the spot, grinning foolishly and sticking out its neck, allowing Gengar to tickle it under its chin. Remembering his father's female Dragonite flirting with Charizard a week before, and having concluded then that Charizard was male, the Rogue made the obvious conclusion that Nelson's Gengar was also female.

Once again, the announcer blared out the action, "Nelson's secret weapon is out, folks! The Attract maneuver! And we all know that, when used on the opposite gender, Attract has a chance to make the target immobile with affection! The balance has turned and Charizard is in trouble, ladies and gentlemen!"

The Rogue growled as he attempted to make his counter, "Charizard, Heat Wave—"

"Use Lick," Nelson cut ahead, and Gengar obeyed. With Charizard still unable to shake off his Attraction, he helplessly stood idle as Gengar suddenly unrolled a surprisingly long tongue. Gengar's tongue slickly slithered up and down Charizard's neck, causing a scant, but noticeable amount of damage. When Charizard attempted to retaliate, he roared in pain as his body seized up; he was Paralyzed. Nelson followed up quickly, "Confuse Ray," and Gengar's eyes flashed white, projecting a blinding beam onto Charizard not unlike that of Golbat's own beam of light. This completed the crippling trinity; Charizard was infatuated, Paralyzed, and now Confused.

"ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE!" the announcer roared, "Nelson's strategy to restrict Charizard's every move has gone off without so much as half a hitch! Attraction and Paralysis will prevent Charizard from moving, and if it does, the Confusion might just force it to hurt itself instead of its foe! Has it happened? Has the powerful Ryoguchi finally met his end?"

Panic now overwhelming the irritation with the announcer, the Rogue thought and thought of a solution that would tip the scale back in his favor. He hadn't been in control of this battle since Kabutops went down, and this was the moment when control needed to be taken, by any means necessary. "Charizard, snap out of it!" the Rogue called out, "Fight back with Metal Claw!" Charizard flexed his restricted body and shook his head, and suddenly took off, flying low and baring his lengthened, metal-coated claws.

"Double Team," Nelson easily parried, and Gengar used mind-boggling speed to split herself into two visible entities. Charizard's metallic claws swept through the faux ghost, and Gengar was unharmed.

"This is it!" the announcer shouted, grating on the Rogue's nerves even harder, "This is the final nail in Ryoguchi's coffin! With Double Team increasing Gengar's evasiveness, it'll be a wonder if Ryoguchi's strategies land, much less work! This is the end of Ryoguchi's run, ladies and gentlemen! There go his chances of reaching the finals!"

_And stopping Kaine_, the Rogue added in his head, _but I _won't_ let that happen! I _have_ to do this!_ "Charizard!" he spoke up loud, "Use Metal Claw again!"

Charizard's claws lengthened and shone in the sun, and he took another swing, but the Confusion lingered, and he stumbled to the ground, damaging himself. It took aim and swung a third time, but the Attraction remained then, and Charizard stopped himself again. When it launched the move a fourth time, however, the galvanized claws slashed into Gengar's (real) body, and the Ghost/Poison hybrid was thrown backwards.

"Hmm," Nelson contemplated before matching the Rogue's move, "Gengar, Lick it again."

"Gan-gaaaah!" Gengar replied with a sinister grin, and she swooped back towards her foe and slapped her tongue against him, doling out minimal damage.

The Rogue took his shot, "Metal Claw!" Charizard let out a titanic roar and swept his claws at Gengar again, making its second direct hit in a row. Gengar yelped and was thrown back again by the move.

"Hmm," Nelson mumbled again, "Well, I suppose this means we'll need to strengthen our evasion. Gengar, another Double Team."

Gengar obeyed, and its blinding speed split it this time from two to four. Each and every one cackled evilly, as if this was the move that would seal Charizard's fate, "GAAAAAN-GAAAAAAAH!

Finally, the Rogue made his next move, hoping with all hope that it would work, "Aerial Ace!" Charizard, finally shaking off his Confusion, took off for the sky, performed a perfect loop-de-loop and dove into the ground, sweeping all four Gengar copies and striking the correct Gengar, causing massive damage.

"Well, this is an interesting turn of events!" yelled the announcer, finally swayed, "Charizard's Aerial Ace has perfect accuracy, and thus can break Gengar's Double Team tactics! And with the attack boost from using Metal Claw, Ryoguchi may have saved himself . . . . . for now!"

The Rogue ignored the announcer and pressed his advantage, "Now, Smokescreen!"

"Confuse Ray," Nelson commanded, "Don't let it get away."

Gengar projected another befuddling beam of light, and Charizard was caught in it, but the Flame Pokémon fought all three of his status ailments and sprayed a thick layer of smoke across the battlefield. The Rogue pulled his collar over his mouth and strained to see through the smoke; Charizard's movements were locked up with Paralysis once again.

Nelson pressed the assault, "Use another Lick." Gengar jumped into a smoke-free corner of the battlefield and shot her long, thin tongue into the cloud. A few seconds later, she retracted it, coughing and spitting at the unpleasant taste of the smoke.

The Rogue took advantage of Gengar's lowered accuracy, "Now, another Aerial Ace!" Charizard heard, and in seconds, rose above the cloud of smoke and powered across the field on his wings. Performing another loop in the air, Charizard swept across the Gengar copies, striking the original and causing more damage.

"Strike now!" Nelson called out reflexively, his voice slightly raised for the first time, "Lick!"

"GAN-GAAAA!" the Ghost-type shrieked and launched her tongue, just barely missing Charizard before it disappeared back into the smoke. Once Charizard landed, however, the Rogue saw it leering dreamily at Gengar, and knew that the Attraction was still in effect.

_I have to finish this now!_ The Rogue thought desperately, _I can't lose here! _Taking a risk, he put all his hopes into his next move, "Heat Wave!" Charizard nodded, and just like his brief battle with Exeggutor, Charizard inhaled, flapped his wings, and shot another searing orange wind from its mouth. Gengar saw the fiery wind coming and raced away from it, the gale only just barely catching her in the back. Gengar shrieked in pain, and turned to stare daggers at Charizard for its luckily successful attack.

By now, the announcer was babbling again, but the Rogue ignored him, seeing his advantage at last. "Now, repeat Smokescreens!" the detective called out, and Charizard attempted to conjure another cloud of smoke. Before he could, though, he fell backwards and landed roughly on his back, damaging himself.

"Lick again." Nelson commanded, and Gengar shot its tongue into the smoke cloud again, this time striking Charizard successfully. By this time though, Charizard had shaken off its Confusion again and was spewing out another murky black cloud that spread across the battlefield. When Gengar launched her tongue out, it struck Charizard, despite the smoke, but the Fire/Flying hybrid didn't seem to feel it at all this time. Witnesses saw the reason why on Gengar's spiky back: a charred, smoking Burn.

"Another amazing comeback from Ryoguchi!" the announcer blared, "Charizard's last lucky Heat Wave seems to have caused a burn on Gengar, which will lower her Attack strength and, over time, her health as well! The tide of battle has turned, and Ryoguchi has placed Nelson in nearly the same predicament Nelson had trapped Ryoguchi in! With Gengar's moves missing their mark and her stamina slowly eroding, it is now anyone's game! Clearly, we were wrong to count Ryoguchi out just yet!"

The Rogue continued his plan, "Keep up the Smokescreens, Charizard!" Charizard roared and exhaled another cloud of smoke, adding to a now-growing tower of blackness that sprung out from the battlefield and above the stadium. Charizard managed to dodge another Confuse Ray, but when it tried using another Smokescreen, it simply wavered on the spot and winked at Gengar; the Attraction was still present.

Nelson frowned at the pit he was being buried in, "This will not do. Repeat Double Teams, Gengar."

"GAN-GA!" Gengar howled before speeding up its movements again. Now splitting from four to eight, Gengar spread across the field as quickly as the Smokescreens, easily seeable by those devilish red eyes.

The Rogue was not intimidated, "Aerial Ace."

Charizard struggled to move at first, due to the Paralysis, allowing Gengar's Double Team to split it into sixteen identical images. With more effort, though, Charizard flexed its body and took off like a shot, soaring high above the slowly rising column of smoke. It quickly dove straight for Gengar, and once again, the Ghost-type's evasive maneuvers were rendered redundant; Aerial Ace swept through all fifteen Gengar fakes and struck the one real Pokémon among them with the most force shown thus far.

Gengar shrieked as she flew far into the air, and she grunted as she collided with the ground. Slowly and uneasily, she stood back up and glared at the now-landing Charizard, and began to move forward for another move. Seconds after her first step, the wraithlike Pokémon suddenly arched her back, in pain from the Burn wound on it, and that was finally the end of it. Gengar dropped to her knees, then fell forward, unconscious.

There was a brief pause before the crowd roared with unmitigated fervor. The announcer added to it, but even his loud voice couldn't drown out the crowds completely, "INCREDIBLE! ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! The powerful Ryoguchi has defied odds once again and delivered a decisive defeat to Nelson in the third round! The man is an absolute juggernaut, ladies and gentlemen! He cannot be stopped! Will he take his place in the finals? Will he win it all?! With time, we'll see just how far the mighty Ryoguchi will go!" The Rogue glanced up at the scoreboard, and indeed, Nelson's profile and those of his Hypno, Exeggutor and Gengar faded to black, and 'Ryoguchi's' picture, along with those of Kabutops, Sandslash and Charizard, took up the entire screen, adorned with the golden frames of victory.

The Rogue walked out to the middle of the arena as the smoke finally dispersed, and approached his Charizard. "You were incredible, my friend," he congratulated his Pokémon, the sincerity strong in his voice, "You pulled through for me, and I couldn't be prouder of you. Sincerely, thank you."

Charizard smiled and gave a low, grateful growl, draping one large wing around his Trainer's shoulder. The Rogue was reminded fondly of his Golbat by this gesture, and speculated that this Charizard (with every reason, considering its origins) was developing a bond with the detective that was almost as strong as his bond with his long-time Poison-type partner.

Nelson, having returned his fallen Gengar, slowly approached from the other side of the battlefield. "Congratulations, Ryoguchi," he said calmly, no grudges evident in his voice whatsoever, "There aren't many who can subdue my combinations the way you did. Your perseverance led to your triumph today. Bravo." He then stuck out a friendly hand to shake, and the Rogue returned the gesture. He was silent, but Nelson's sportsmanship made him smile, not just because it was a righteous thing to do, but because there was no doubt in his mind that Nelson and Kaine had absolutely nothing to do with each other at all.

"Good luck, Ryoguchi," Nelson continued, "I look forward to seeing your progress."

The Rogue nodded, "Thanks. I enjoyed our battle." As Nelson walked away, the Rogue stroked his Charizard's neck, and the Fire-type growled contentedly.

Dontae saw the screen in the main building switch from the Southern Coliseum battle, which showed a Pidgeot (a massive pigeon-like Pokémon with long, wavy head feathers that was the final form of Pidgey) defeating a Persian, and saw the Western Coliseum battle wrapping up. 'Ryoguchi's' Charizard had beaten Nelson's Exeggutor and Gengar in a row, taking the match.

"Way to go, Gumshoe," Dontae muttered with a rough grin, "I knew you could pull it off."

"Chaaaar . . ." Charmander grinned beside him, seeing Charizard's progress and showing that same sense of Fire-type pride on its round face.

Dontae turned at the sound of footsteps behind him, and was greeted by Stacy and Golbat, who had just finished their sweep of the building. "Did you hear?" Stacy bounced in excitement, "He won! He's going on to the fourth round! He's doing so well in this tournament! He could win it all if he wanted to, I know he could!" Golbat smiled beside her, exhibiting the same pride in its partner that Charmander showed in its fellow Fire-type.

Dontae smiled and nodded, "Yeah, probably. But you forget, Stacy, he's not here to win some tournament. He told me before the third round that he thinks Kaine might be participating in this tournament, and frankly, I wouldn't put it past him. That means we'd better pay special attention to the competitors as well as the spectators."

Stacy nodded, but couldn't resist a sigh. She looked back up at the screen showcasing the Rogue's impressive win. "I just hope nothing bad happens to him," she almost whispered it, "Kaine is dangerous. If we don't find him . . . . ."

Golbat draped a wing over her shoulders, a reassuring look on its face. Stacy smiled slightly, but Golbat's comfort wasn't quite enough. She continued to stare at the screen until the scene changed to a Trainer's victory in the Eastern Coliseum, in which a Ponyta (the smaller, hornless pre-evolution of Rapidash) was seen defeating a Gloom (the smaller, pre-evolved form of Vileplume, a short, squat purple thing with bulbous red petals on its head, squinty eyes, and drool dangling from its mouth).

Raichu dodged as Seaking (a large, regal-looking orange fish with white, black-spotted fins and a horn on its head) launched the one-hit Horn Drill; the move proved ineffective at every scale. Seaking attempted to zoom ahead with an Agility, but Raichu was faster, and knocked Seaking senseless with a well-timed Focus Punch. Another Thunder later, and Seaking was flat on the ground, charred and laying amidst a cloud of smoke and the distinct smell of fish-fry.

"And the favorite to win, Ryoguchi, takes the first round!" the announcer summarized, "The type-advantage no doubt helped massively, but Ryoguchi has been a powerhouse in this year's tournament! Can his opponent, young Rolando, keep up his own win streak with his small, yet maneuverable Pokémon? The battle continues!"

Rolando, a young man not much older than George had been, trembled as he returned his fallen Seaking. He glanced up at the Rogue with nervous eyes, "Um . . . . okay . . . ." He was clearly apprehensive at making his next choice; he knew perfectly well how 'Ryoguchi' had been powering through the tournament, and the need to make a smart replacement was obvious.

Pulling a new Ball, he drew back and threw, "Go, Ivysaur!" In a flash and a PANG, a small, sauropodian Pokémon emerged. The Rogue knew this was the evolved form of Kanto's Grass-type starter, Bulbasaur; it was light blue with deep-blue spots, it had sharp teeth and even sharper eyes, and the plant on its back (once just a simple green bulb) had bloomed vividly, its green leaves extended outwards, but the pinkish flower in the middle still closed.

As the announcer screamed out the obvious once again, the Rogue analyzed his foe, and Golbat stood next to him for the first time in the tournament. To accompany its partner's disguise, it acted jittery and anxious, as if waiting to battle, and carried itself with none of the dignity it showed as the Rogue's partner. It gestured wildly at Ivysaur, waving its wings and showing its deep desire for battle.

"Not this time, buddy. Not until I need you," the Rogue placated it as he returned his Raichu, "Raichu, regroup!" He then switched Raichu's Ball for another from his belt and opened it, "Seadra, strategize!" The flash of light bore the Rogue's newly-evolved Seadra into the fray; despite its more fearsome appearance, the seahorse-like Water-type still remained calm and eager to please.

"And Ryoguchi's predicted switch gives us an unpredicted new choice!" the announcer yelled, "Raichu may not have had many moves that can strike Grass-types effectively, but it would have been better than the clearly disadvantaged Seadra! Still, Seadra has proven its strength in this tournament, so it could still clearly be anyone's game!"

"Um, okay, I think I can do this," Rolando mumbled tentatively, "Okay, Ivysaur, use Razor Leaf!"

"Saur!" Ivysaur growled deeply and shook the green on its back; a series of leaves, flat and deadly sharp-edged, flew from the plant and soared through the stadium, aiming right for Seadra.

"Smokescreen!" the Rogue called, and Seadra's snout instantly produced a black cloud of smoke that obscured it and made the leaf volley ineffective.

"Aw!" Rolando complained, "Try again, Ivysaur!"

"Ivy! Ivyyyyyy!" Ivysaur growled more fiercely and prepared to send another volley.

The Rogue's next move was quicker, "Ice Beam!" Seadra quacked from inside the smoke. Seconds later, an icy blue beam of light flew from the cloud, and Ivysaur was hit hard with the super-effective move.

"What a surprise, folks!" the announcer boomed (by now, Golbat was becoming almost as annoyed with him as the Rogue was), "What with its knowledge of Ice Beam, Ryoguchi's trust in Seadra was not so ill-placed after all!"

Rolando gasped and attempted to remedy the situation, "Hurry, use Synthesis!" Ivysaur shook off the damage and crouched down low, aiming its plant right at the bright sun.

"Twister!" the Rogue countered, and Seadra cawed as it exhaled a powerful vortex of blue energy. It swept across the field and blasted Ivysaur back hard, and when the Seed Pokémon got back up, it cowered on the spot; it had Flinched. "Now, Ice Beam once more!" the Rogue commanded, and another blast of freezing blue light later, Ivysaur was easily subdued.

"Two in a row, ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer made the crowds observations heard, "Rolando is in a tight spot, now! What can he do to strike back at the powerful Ryoguchi!"

Rolando was looking very panicky indeed, "Ohhh . . . oh, no . . . well, okay, I . . ." He continued to mumble nervously as he returned his Ivysaur and swapped its PokéBall for his last in the battle, "Well, here goes. Go, Pidgeotto!" The PANG sound preceded the loud screech of a Pidgeotto, the middle stage between Pidgey and Pidgeot, which was far larger than its predecessor but far smaller than its following stage (signified also by its mid-length head feathers, absent on Pidgey but much longer on Pidgeot).

The Rogue responded by returning Seadra to its Ball, "Seadra, regroup!" He then turned toward Golbat and gave it a quick nod. Its false anxiety giving way to true determination, Golbat swept to the field a mere split-second after the Rogue gestured toward it and called out, "Golbat, strategize!"

"And this could be it, folks!" the announcer blared, "Golbat versus Pidgeotto, flier versus flier, the dogfight of this round! Can Rolando make a comeback and win the day? Or will Ryoguchi pick up another win in the tournament?! This battle will show us the answer!"

The Rogue tipped the answer in his favor early, "Confuse Ray!"

Rolando countered with fervent trepidation, "Um, use Quick Attack!" Pidgeotto instantly blitzed across the field, squawking as it landed a harsh, lightning-fast blow on Golbat. Just before the attack landed, though, Golbat aimed its eyes at its birdlike enemy and projected the befuddling white light. After Pidgeotto landed the attack, it gave a low caw as it swiveled from side to side in the air. Confused.

"No!" Rolando called out, genuine worry in his tone, "Use Wing Attack!" Pidgeotto obeyed, temporarily bypassing its Confusion, and spread its wings wide, ready to aim what was, until recently, Golbat's own signature move at it.

"Poison Fang!" Golbat called out, and Golbat screeched as it swept across the field. The two rapidly-moving fliers clashed their attacks in midair, and each felt the harsh effects. Golbat chattered in pain, while Pidgeotto squawked in agony, exhaling purple clouds of Poison.

"Uh-oh!" the announcer's annoying voice continued to ramble on, "Pidgeotto's Poison will slowly drain its health, and since it's already Confused, winning is looking less and less doable now!" It was true; Pidgeotto's next attempt at a Wing Attack brought a stumble from the sky, hurting the Pidgeon Pokémon, while an attempt to get up yielded coughing and more purple breaths.

"Air Cutter!" the Rogue called, and Golbat screeched as it gained lift, sweeping the air and projecting a volley of dangerous blades of wind at Pidgeotto.

"Hurry, use Quick Attack!" Rolando called out in distress, and Pidgeotto shook off its Confusion, this time permanently, to zip upwards toward its bat-like foe. It spun and swerved in the air, dodging the Air Cutter, and landed another speedy strike.

The Rogue quickly took the game with one final move, "Double-Edge!"

Golbat eyed its opponent, tucked in its wings, and gave a mighty screech as it dove down in a rapid corkscrew dash through the sky. Pidgeotto had no time to react, and was struck violently out of the air and sent spiraling down fast to the ground. It landed with a CRASH and a tumble, and moved no more.

"THAT WAS IT, BATTLE-FANS!" the announcer screamed out the obvious once again, "Despite putting up a heck of a fight, Pidgeotto is defeated easily by Ryoguchi's Golbat! Once again, Ryoguchi's brilliance overcomes all obstacles, leaving all of his Pokémon conscious and barely damaged, and he has now earned a place in the fifth round! What exciting moves will he show us in the next round? We'll have to wait and see, folks! See you all tomorrow, for the semifinal matches!"

The Rogue watched as Golbat slowly lowered itself to the ground, aching and exhausted from battle, but still willing to put up an energetic facade for the spectators. The Rogue felt himself worry, more so now that ever since entering the tournament. He was getting close to the finals, and Kaine was just as subtle as his word. By now, the Rogue was convinced that Kaine had wanted the detective to enter this tournament, but could not for the life of him figure out why. It then occurred to him, as he watched his portrait and those of his Raichu, Seadra and Golbat take up the entire jumbo screen and gain golden victory frames, that Kaine must want the Rogue to be in the stadium during the final match. He must be planning for the Rogue to be present inside the Plateau during its planned destruction.

And this meant that Kaine wanted to kill the Rogue.

But why?

The Rogue, once again posing as Ryoguchi, stood in the middle of the Northern Coliseum on the fifth day of the tournament, with Golbat at his side, shaky and jittery with excitement. His had kept his newest theory about Kaine's goals and motives to himself, so as not to worry Stacy, but even then, as he shook hands with his opponent, an attractive woman several years older than him named Naomi, he tried to make sense of the theory. If Kaine wanted him in this tournament, then why kill him? What grudge could he possibly have against a man whom had never even seen him before? And if he was a competitor in this tournament, as the Rogue initially theorized, why would he risk putting himself in harm's way? Did he want to battle the Rogue? Did he want to make sure his plans succeeded, using the same processes the Rogue himself had utilized just to be certain? Why not use a simpler plan, such as assassination; was it really important to endanger millions of lives just to destroy one? What was more important to Kaine: getting the Rogue to the finals, or killing him? Did he expect the detective to win, and if so, why did that matter? And if he expected him to lose, then what would the point be in destroying him? And how on earth did Team Rocket fit into all this?

"I've been observing your progress, Ryoguchi," Naomi's voice broke the Rogue's inner turmoil; it had a soft sort of feminine huskiness to it, "Your battle style is very interesting. I have a feeling I'll enjoy our battle today." She gave him a benign smile, and her eyes seemed to sparkle as she did so.

The Rogue replied with an awkward smile of his own, "Thanks. I look forward to seeing you in action."

Naomi gave a soft giggle and brushed a lock of her shoulder-length, dark-brown hair from her face as the two parted. When the two stood on opposite sides of the coliseum, the announcements began, "Here we are folks, the semifinal round of the Indigo League Tournament! This round commences the switch to full six-on-six style battle, so hopefully, our two competitors have chosen their teams wisely! The surprisingly powerful force of nature, Ryoguchi, has stormed the first four rounds with hardly any difficulty! However, the woman of wisdom and wild wiles, Naomi, has not yet ceased to amaze with her powerful, yet intricate strategies! A battle like this is better suited for the finals, ladies and gentlemen, but to see it beforehand, sooner than we anticipated, is nothing short of awe-inspiring! Good luck, competitors!"

Naomi unclipped a PokéBall from the waist of her ankle-length pleated skirt, enlarged it, and opened, "Clefable, please assist me."

In a flash of light, Clefairy's evolved form appeared on the battlefield, taller and more mature-looking than its predecessor; it rocked from side to side gleefully as it stood and called out to the crowds, "Fable, fable! Clefable!" On the jumbo screen, underneath Naomi's picture, a small picture of Clefable appeared in color.

The Rogue produced his own Ball from his belt and summoned his own Pokémon, "Sandslash, strategize!" With a PANG, Sandslash appeared, but when it took a look at its opponents, it looked past Clefable, directly at Naomi, and gave her a wink and a wolf whistle.

"And so, the battle begins!" the announcer declared unnecessarily, "Naomi's Clefable headlines her side, while Ryoguchi meets her with a rather amorous Sandslash! Already, interests are stoked, and we're all eager to see how these two titans converge!"

The Rogue began the battle quickly, "Sandslash, use Sandstorm!"

"Wh-shash!" Sandslash nodded, and displayed impressive dance moves before throwing itself into a perfect tornado spin; in moments, the entire field became engulfed in viciously-swirling sand.

"Oh, no," Naomi scolded softly, "Clefable, use Toxic."

"Fable!" Clefable called out delightedly before taking a deep breath. Just before Sandslash could hide in the dust storm with its Sand Veil ability, Clefable's cheeks suddenly swelled to disturbing proportions, then trembled as Clefable spat a thin stream of sizzling purple fluid at the Ground-type. Sandslash was drenched in the corrosive liquid, just like its battle with Koga's Muk, and it began exhaling purple clouds of Poison.

The Sandstorm whittled down Clefable's health, but Sandslash was in worse trouble with its deeply painful Poisoning. However, the Poison gave the Rogue an idea, and he switched strategies, "Use Poison Sting!" Sandslash, weak from the Poison, still obeyed, and aimed its claws at Clefable. In seconds, a volley of poisonous needles flew from Sandslash's claws toward Clefable, ready to possibly return the favor for the attacker's Poisoning.

"Nice try, dear," Naomi replied calmly, "Clefable, Safeguard!" Clefable winked, and instantly conjured a shimmering shield of light. The Poison Sting landed and did damage, but much like with the Safeguard employed by Alexa's Dewgong, the move was useless without its side effect.

The Rogue quickly switched strategies again, "Move in with Slash!"

Naomi's counter was just as quick, "Now, use Cosmic Power."

As Sandslash raced in closer and bared its claws, Clefable began chanting to itself, and in moments, it became surrounded by the images of stars and comets, as if the image of outer space itself became superimposed over the little pink Pokémon's body. When Sandslash's claws struck, the Defense upgrade from Cosmic Power made the damage nearly ineffective. To make matters worse, Sandslash was now coughing up sizzling purple phlegm; the Poison was getting worse.

Naomi compounded her Clefable's defense, "Cosmic Power again!" Clefable began chanting again, and the image of space covered its pink body once again, just after the Slash attack landed.

Adapting to the situation once again, the Rogue changed his game, "Earthquake!"

"SHASH!" Sandslash bellowed, and slammed its claws into the ground, creating a devastating rumble that resounded throughout the stadium. Clefable was struck hard by the quake, but its Cosmic Power upgrades protected it from physical and special attacks, softening the blow.

Naomi grinned as she made her next move, "Moonlight!"

"Cle-faaaaaaaaaayyy-buuuuuuulll!" Clefable called out cheerfully, and in seconds, a powerful spotlight appeared out of the sky, powered through the Sandstorm, and cast itself down on Clefable, as if the Fairy Pokémon were struck by a moonbeam. After only a few more seconds, the moonbeam seemed to rejuvenate the once battle-weary Clefable, and some of its health had returned.

Now fully aware of Naomi's strategy, the Rogue felt the need to dole out as much damage as possible before time ran out. "Another Earthquake, Sandslash!" the detective commanded, and Sandslash repeated its last move, slamming its claws into the ground and making it shake uncontrollably.

"Another Cosmic Power!" Naomi ordered, and the Normal-type obeyed. For the third time, the cosmic imagery coated Clefable's body, and when the powerful Ground-type attack struck, it seemed to only glance off Clefable's body. By now, the Sandstorm was over, and Sandslash was brought to its knees by the aching Poison.

"Clefable, another Moonlight!" Naomi commanded again, and again, the magic moonbeam struck Clefable and rejuvenated it. Unlike before, however, the Moonlight seemed to heal Clefable much more thoroughly this time; before, the Sandstorm had blocked much of the healing power, but without it, nearly all of Clefable's health had returned.

The Rogue made one last play to weaken Clefable, "Use another Slash!"

"Whhhhh . . ." Sandslash moaned, weaker still due to the Poison, but complied. It raced in as fast as it could and took a mighty swipe at its foe, "SHAAAAASH!" The move was a Critical, and dealt massive damage to Clefable. It still stood, however, and only a moment later, Sandslash hacked up more purple phlegm before it finally collapsed, its strength eaten away at last.

"And that concludes the first battle, folks!" went the next redundant announcement as Sandslash's portrait on the jumbo screen went totally black, "Ryoguchi's Sandslash is not seeing a good track record here at the Plateau, and with Naomi's Clefable ready to whittle down nearly any Pokémon Ryoguchi sends out, one wonders if any of this mighty Trainer's Pokémon can stand up to Naomi now!"

The Rogue felt a pang of guilt as he returned Sandslash. The announcer may have been annoying, but he was also right; every battle Sandslash fought in this tournament resulted in its defeat. This meant that 'Ryoguchi' needed a new strategy as quickly as possible.

And he believed he had it.

Putting away Sandslash's PokéBall, the Rogue turned toward Golbat and nodded; once again, Golbat's jittery facade gave way to true battle-readiness, and it was on the field before the Rogue had finished commanding, "Golbat, strategize!"

The announcer's unnecessary commentary filled the stadium again, "Now begins the second battle! Ryoguchi has deployed his Golbat, and being a Poison-type, it is immune to Clefable's only weapon! How will Naomi react?!"

Naomi reacted by lifting a PokéBall and returning her Pokémon, "Thank you, Clefable." Trading one Ball for another from her hip, she opened it and deployed her next battler, "Rapidash, please assist me." In a flash, a fiery stallion with a dangerously sharp horn, much like Blaine's own Rapidash, stomped and whinnied on the field, kicking up its front hooves and swinging its deadly horn.

"And a quick Pokémon swap sees Naomi sending out a Rapidash!" the announcer gave his unnecessary denouement, "No doubt this is the same Ponyta we saw defeating Johnny's Gloom in the third round! Will Rapidash keep up its streak in its new form?"

Immediately, Clefable's portrait went monochrome, and Rapidash's portrait appeared directly beside it, in full color. While the announcer went on about Naomi's Pokémon switch, the Rogue quickly took advantage of the recently dissolved Safeguard, "Confuse Ray!"

"Agility!" Naomi called out, and just when Golbat projected the dazzling ray of light onto Rapidash, the fiery unicorn took off like a shot, doing laps around the stadium and completely outpacing even Golbat's impressive speed.

The Rogue watched Rapidash's movements, and launched his offensive, "Poison Fang!" Golbat chattered in reply, and flew after Rapidash, meeting it at a spot in the stadium it was racing towards fast.

"Now, Stomp!" Naomi called, and Rapidash neighed furiously as it suddenly leaped off the ground, pushed itself off the wall it raced beside, and flew toward Golbat as the Poison-type closed in on it. The two attacks met, but Rapidash's Stomp bore more force, and Golbat was beaten back harshly by the Fire Horse Pokémon's hooves. As Golbat floated in the air in pain, it suddenly shuddered from the driving force of the strike, the signal that it had Flinched.

"What a stunning twist, folks!" the announcer declared, "Rapidash's extra burst of speed has given it a great advantage now that its Flinch-inducing Stomp has taken first priority! And it appears to have shaken off Golbat's Confuse Ray, as well, so things are now finally looking grim for the powerful Ryoguchi!" When Rapidash tried to follow up with another Stomp, however, the Confusion caught up with it at last, and it tripped as it ran, falling into a heap and hurting itself. At this, the announcer added uneasily, "Ummm . . . well, folks, it appears that I've spoken a bit too soon."

Keeping to himself that he enjoyed the fact that the announcer was finally confronted with how obnoxious he was, the Rogue seized his chance, "Another Poison Fang, now!" Golbat reacted quickly, and zoomed in while Rapidash was still in a pile on the stadium floor. The Bat Pokémon's toxic fangs sank into Rapidash's flesh, and the Fire-type whinnied in agony from the effects of the attack.

"Stomp again, Rapidash, hurry!" Naomi encouraged, and Rapidash got up, racing toward Golbat again.

"Poison Fang again!" the Rogue countered, and Golbat flew in swiftly, its fangs lined with another painful dose of toxin. Once again, the two attacks met, and this time, they both struck successfully; Poison Fang sunk deeply into the front legs Rapidash used to ram Golbat with. Golbat was blown back by the attack, and Rapidash snorted dizzily; its breaths came out in purple Poison clouds.

"Yes!" the Rogue cheered as the announcer supplemented the action once again, "Now, Air Cutter!" Golbat chittered and swept the air with its wings; the sharp-edged air-blades sped through the air and targeted Rapidash.

"I can't allow that, dear," Naomi responded softly, yet staunchly, "Flamethrower!" Rapidash neighed again and thrust its snout forward, projecting a thick stream of fire at Golbat. The two attacks sailed past one another and struck their respective targets with terrific fervor. The Air Cutter peppered Rapidash's sizzling pelt, while the Flamethrower torched Golbat's wings, sending it spiraling several feet out of the sky.

"Now, another Stomp, Rapidash!" Naomi commanded, but when Rapidash attempted to move, it tripped again, hurting itself. Adding to that damage was the Poison, which now made Rapidash's breathing come out in harsh wheezes. Naomi suddenly looked slightly concerned, "Oh, bother . . ."

"Air Cutter!" the Rogue pressed the advantage again, and Golbat once again blasted a sharpened gale at Rapidash. This move, however, was a Critical strike, and Rapidash was lifted up off its hooves by the force of the attack, sent crashing back down into the stadium ground, and knocked unconscious.

"What a blitz of a battle, folks!" the announcer yelled excitedly as Rapidash's picture faded to black on the scoreboard, "One well-placed Critical from Golbat's Air Cutter sends Rapidash out the battle! Ryoguchi has one-upped Naomi and evened the score! But can he keep it up, or will Naomi take back the game?"

Dontae was sitting in the lobby of the Plateau's main building. Up on the screen, it temporarily showed the Rogue's progress—Naomi's Clefable had beaten Sandslash, but Golbat had beaten her Rapidash—before switching back to another battle in a different stadium. Charmander was curled up on the floor next to Dontae's leg, drowsy and tired from more casing of the Plateau. The two had been waiting there for over an hour for Stacy to show up, but so far, she had not showed.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Charmander," Dontae confided in his friend, "Stacy was supposed to meet with us a long time ago. It's not like her to not let us know where she is." After a few more seconds, Dontae took a disposable cell phone from his pocket (complete with PokéBall designs, bought at the Plateau gift shop) and punched in Stacy's cell phone number. He sat in that chair, rocking back and forth anxiously, repeating over and over with a desperate tone, "Come on, Stacy, pick up! Come on, pick up!"

At last, he heard Stacy's voice, but it was not her personally; the voicemail picked up the call: "Hi! I'm Stacy! I'm not here right now. Well, if I was, you wouldn't be hearing this, huh? Hee-hee! Duh! Leave a message for me, but wait for the beep, 'kay? Bye-bye!"

The beep sounded off, and Dontae left his worried message, "Stacy! It's Dontae! Where are you?! Charmander and I have been in the lobby for over an hour! Please call me and tell me where you are!" Dontae then quickly switched off the phone, not satisfied with just calling Stacy, then quickly stood from his chair. One by one, he plucked a PokéBall from his belt and opened it, and when Charmander saw the commotion, it quickly leaped to its feet from its doze and joined the slowly growing group. Soon, Blastoise, Ninetales, Flareon, Poliwrath, and Omastar crowded the lobby, and with Charmander joining the group, Dontae's Pokémon were gathered and at attention.

"Listen up, fellas," Dontae briefed them, "I think Stacy might be in deep trouble. We need to split up and spread out all over the Plateau to look for her. Poliwrath, I want you and Ninetales to check the Southern Coliseum. There's maps and arrows on the way that will guide you there. If you find Stacy, bring her straight back here!"

"Oli! Olirath!" Poliwrath grunted and pounded its fists together. Ninetales regally squealed its compliance, and then both Pokémon took off in the direction Dontae indicated.

"Flareon!" Dontae continued, "You take Omastar and head for the Eastern Coliseum. Same goes for you two; you find her, you bring her straight here, clear?"

"Bu-suta!" Flareon barked in reply. Omastar merely blinked, which Dontae could only guess meant it agreed, and it then slithered after the quickly-departing Flareon.

"Now, Charmander," Dontae went on, kneeling down to see his small partner, "You and Blastoise search the Western Coliseum. Can you two handle that by yourselves?"

"Char!" Charmander nodded, its eyes fiery with determination, "Char, char! Charmander!"

"Okay, then," Dontae was assured, then stood up straight to address Blastoise, "I need you to listen to Charmander on this one, Blastoise. Follow him, do what he says, and try not to get ca—"

"BLAAAAAAAST!" Blastoise bellowed, "BLAAAAAAASTOOOOOOOOISE!" The large Shellfish Pokémon then grabbed Charmander by one stubby arm and took off like a shot for the Western Coliseum.

". . . . Carried away . . ." Dontae finished after Blastoise stomped away zealously, "Well, that leaves the Northern Coliseum for me. I've got to warn the Rogue about this." He then picked up his cell phone again and began punching out a text message to the Rogue's PokéCell, "I just hope phones are allowed in those stadiums . . . ."

"CANT FIND STACY. LOOKING N NRTH COLISEUM. SENT MY TEAM TO LOOK 4 HER. NEED HELP.

DONTAE"


	28. 28 - Indigo Intrigue, Part 3

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#28: Indigo Intrigue, Part 3

The shadows obscured him quite well. There was no need for apprehension. Everything was going exactly as he had planned. The next phase of the plan was nearly complete; all it took was a phone call to make absolutely sure.

There was a ring. His patience rewarded, he took out the cell phone and answered, "Speak."

"It's done," the voice from earlier spoke, "The next phase is in motion."

"Is he looking?"

There was a soft chuckle, "He's deployed his entire team as his search party. He's truly worried."

"Excellent," he replied, a grin crossing his face, "How goes the detective's progress?"

"Each has lost one Pokémon," the voice recapped, "A bit of a rough start, but the good investigator will succeed. No doubt about it."

Yes, everything was going _exactly_ as he had planned. "Stay hidden," he spoke into the receiver, "Make sure that little imbecile Dontae doesn't find your 'kidnappee'. The next step is mine to initiate, so wait for my signal."

"It begins tomorrow, right?" the voice asked, "When the Rogue enters the finals?"

"Indeed," he replied confidently, "Remember to wait for my signal. If all goes to plan, though, you won't be as necessary as I fear, but it is always nice to have a little . . . . _leverage_."

The voice gave another soft laugh, "I will wait, then. The Rogue will fall tomorrow, one way or another!" There was a click. Then silence.

At the Rogue's signal, Golbat came gliding back to his side, when suddenly, he felt a vibration in his pocket; the PokéCell was ringing. Employing sleight of hand, the Rogue used one hand to cover the other as it reached for the cell, and his eyes widened as he read the text on the screen:

"CANT FIND STACY. LOOKING N NRTH COLISEUM. SENT MY TEAM TO LOOK 4 HER. NEED HELP.

DONTAE"

He stood frozen for a moment, and it seemed then that the whole stadium had gone completely silent. The long, awkward pause lasted just long enough for the announcer to finally pry, "Interesting, folks! Ryoguchi, it seems, has taken some time to contemplate! Is he placing extra thought into his next Pokémon choice, or has he been surprised beyond movement of Naomi's skills! The tension mounts, battle fans! What will the Trainer do now?"

Naomi seemed to dislike waiting as well, "Yoo-hoo, Ryoguchi! Time to make your choice, dear. Don't want to keep our fans waiting, do we?"

The Rogue closed his eyes and sighed, then, as quickly and subtly as he could, pressed a message into his cell to return to Dontae:

"B THERE SOON. KEEP LOOKING.

– R"

He then dropped his phone back into his pocket, took up his next Ball, and readied for the rest of the battle. Across the way, Naomi had a Ball already in hand, "Well, it's about time. Are we ready, dear?"

The Rogue nodded, enlarged his PokéBall, and deployed his next battler, "Kabutops, strategize!"

At the same time, Naomi placidly deployed her own, "Dugtrio, please assist me."

Both Balls went off with a PANG, and while Kabutops took to the field on the Rogue's side (evidenced further by its picture appearing under 'Ryoguchi's' on the jumbo screen), Naomi's battler took her side as well, on the field as well as on the scoreboard. Dugtrio, a Ground-type, was a simple-looking creature that poked over two feet out of a small hole in the ground. Each identical brown body was cylindrical with a rounded dome head, and each head's rough, grimacing face was merely two black, beady eyes and a round mouth. Each head, aside from size and facial expression, perfectly resembled Dugtrio's pre-evolution, the smaller, single-bodied Diglett.

"And now for the next round, battle fans!" the announcer bellowed, "Ryoguchi sends in Kabutops, while Naomi counters with a Dugtrio! The type advantage could go either way, what with Dugtrio's Ground-type being stronger than Rock, but weaker than Water, so this battle should be very interesting!"

The Rogue began the next round, "Kabutops, Water Pulse!"

"Double Team!" Naomi commanded.

"Trio, trio, trio!" the three heads chanted in unison, and like many Pokémon the Rogue had seen before it, Dugtrio used mind-blowing speed to split itself into two entities. Kabutops' pulsating water rings struck the fake Dugtrio, negating all damage.

"Quick!" the Rogue followed up, "Use Slash!" Kabutops obeyed, racing in and stretching out its scythe-like claws for the assault.

"Sand-Attack!" Naomi countered, and Dugtrio's front head suddenly, and very rapidly, buried itself in the ground and popped back out over and over again like a Whack-a-Mole game gone berserk, generating a cloud of sand that struck Kabutops full in the face. Although Kabutops' Slash was a fortuitous success, the ancient creature continued to swing its claws blindly, being nowhere close to securing another direct hit.

"Good!" Naomi cheerfully encouraged her Pokémon, "Now, another Double Team!"

"TRIO!" the three-headed rodential creature answered, "Trio, trio!" Once again utilizing the impossible speed of the move, two clones split into four, and Dugtrio's evasion went up again.

The Rogue made another attempt at an offensive, "Try another Water Pulse, Kabutops!" Kabutops obeyed, but its attempt to strike was met by another Sand-Attack; once again, its aim was thrown, and Dugtrio suffered no damage.

The suffering for Kabutops, however, was only about to begin.

"Fissure!" Naomi called out triumphantly, and at once, the real Dugtrio disappeared beneath the dirt. Suddenly, a rumble began deep underground, rising and strengthening, until it was far stronger than even an Earthquake. Like Guillotine and Horn Drill, Fissure was a rare move that, when used successfully, would knock out its target in one hit; the rumble that would potentially cause this only increased from there, until both the Rogue and Naomi were forced to their knees by the overwhelming vibrations. After a while, the rumbling ceased, but there was only a split-second of calm before the attack truly began: a deafening roar sounded off as an enormous fault suddenly tore through the ground, the crack shredding a path directly toward Kabutops. Before the Shellfish Pokémon had a chance to react, the fault powered beneath its feet and, as if left in the wake of some incredible, unseen force, pushed Kabutops up off its feet, throwing it dozens of feet in the air. Kabutops landed with a terrible CRASH, rolled over several times in the dirt, and moaned as it fell unconscious. 

Naturally, the announcer could hardly contain himself, "UNBELIEVABLE! ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE! Naomi's Dugtrio lands a perfect Fissure, knocking Ryoguchi's Kabutops right out of the battle! INSTANTLY! The action is insane, ladies and gentlemen! Just plain INSANE!"

The Rogue released a barely audible growl as he returned Kabutops (his Pokémon's picture went black on the scoreboard); his frustration with the announcer notwithstanding, this battle was taking far too long. If Stacy was truly in danger, she needed to be found immediately. Once again, he cursed himself for leaving her alone, and hoped desperately that Dontae was handling things to the best of his ability. With any luck, he'd have found her already.

Switching Kabutops for the one Pokémon he was sure could counter Dugtrio's moves, the Rogue drew back and threw, "Charizard, strategize!" The white light flashed, and Charizard stomped onto the battlefield, roaring pridefully and readying for combat.

"Ryoguchi's cleverness strikes again!" boomed the announcer, "Charizard, being half-Flying, is totally immune to the Ground-type Fissure! How will Naomi react to this? Will she switch, like she did with Clefable? Hard to say until we see!"

"Hmm!" Naomi grinned interestedly as she dusted off the front of her skirt, "Impressive. But not quite enough! Rock Tomb!"

"Trio! Trio!" Dugtrio replied as, suddenly, each head began spinning in place. Just like with Brock's Onix, a cluster of heavy rocks dropped from the sky out of nowhere, aiming to bury Charizard.

The Rogue's instincts were faster, "Charizard, Smokescreen!" Charizard roared as it released a thick cloud of smoke onto the battlefield once again, obscuring it from Dugtrio's view. The Rock Tomb fell into the cloud of smoke, but there was only a THUMP following the landing of each one: no roars of pain indicating the move's success.

Knowing how effective Rock Tomb would be against a Fire/Flying hybrid, the Rogue hurriedly made a return to the offensive, "Aerial Ace!"

Charizard roared again and took off, rising above the smoke while performing a masterful loop-de-loop in the air. Dugtrio saw it coming and dove back into its copies, but it did no good; like it did against Nelson's Gengar, Charizard swept the field, knocking away three fake Dugtrios and striking the real one with all his might. Dazed, and still having taken damage from Kabutops' Slash, the three heads each bent awkwardly over in exhaustion, looking like a trio of collapsed wieners.

As the announcer squawked on and Dugtrio's picture blackened on the scoreboard, Naomi returned her Pokémon. "Well, how about that?" she asked delightedly, "We just keep matching each other. Isn't that funny?" She smiled as she swapped Dugtrio's Ball for the next, "As much as I'd like to stay even with you, dear, I'm afraid I must take control of this battle. Dragonair, please assist me!" She threw the Ball, and with a flash of light and a PANG, Dragonite's pre-evolution appeared on the battlefield. It was a serpentine creature, thin and over thirteen feet long, with vivid dark-blue skin and a white underside that went all the way down to its tail, small angelic wings for ears, and a small horn on its forehead.

"Here's the next round, battle fans!" the announcer provided, "The dragon-like Charizard versus the Dragon-type Dragonair! Both Pokémon have proven to be amazing powerhouses on their respective teams, so it would surely have made sense to see this battle saved for last here today! The surprises continue to delight in the semifinals today, ladies and gentlemen!"

The Rogue quickly made the first move, "Use Heat Wave!" Charizard roared, threw back its head, and exhaled the mighty orange gale of heat at Dragonair, propelling it with a series of flaps from its wings. Dragonair was struck, and its resistance to Fire clearly showed that it wasn't that much damage. However, even through the announcer's ridiculous rantings over what a bad idea that move was, the Rogue saw his advantage: a Burn on Dragonair's neck, just below the blue, jewel-like orb under its mouth.

"Ooh!" Naomi grinned, "Interesting! Dragonair, use Dragon Dance!" Dragonair responded with an excited squeal, and then began moving swiftly and gracefully from side to side on its end of the battlefield like an elegant ribbon dancer. With each lithe movement, its speed seemed to increase; the Rogue knew that it had, along with its attack power, and that the Burn would soon become redundant.

"Quick!" the Rogue ordered, "Use Metal Claw!" Charizard roared, and swiftly powered across the field on its wings. Its claws lengthened and gleamed with a metal coating, and when Charizard reached its opponent, it swung its claws with ferocious force.

"Iron Tail!" Naomi countered just in time, and Dragonair met Charizard's metallic claws with the last four feet of its tail, which had also gained a silvery metal sheen (including the clear blue orbs on the end that resembled the sphere on its neck). The two moves met in midair with a horrific CLAAAAAANG sound, and both Pokémon were forced back several feet, taking substantial damage.

The Rogue saw the power boost in his own Pokémon, and made his next move quickly, "Another Metal Claw!"

Naomi made her next move in rapid succession, "Outrage!"

Dragonair's voice suddenly changed in tone from a light squeal to a fear-inducing roar, and it began radiating a fiery red aura. Its black eyes glowed stark white, and it coiled up, ready to strike. When Charizard approached, Dragonair sprang forward in a crushing tackle, knocking the wind out of Charizard and plowing it into the dirt. The follow-up Metal Claw hadn't even touched the Dragon Pokémon.

"Amazing!" the announcer's voice grated on the air, "Dragonair's Outrage has overcome its Burn and floored Charizard spectacularly! And with the speed boost also courtesy of Dragon Dance, the edge clearly belongs to Naomi in this round! Hopefully, the Confusion that is the drawback for use of Outrage won't be too much of an issue!"

That's when Dragonair began to glow.

The Rogue made a double-take, at first believing that his opponent's Pokémon was evolving. This wasn't the case, though; the light wasn't as strong, and the form change wasn't present. Instead, the white glow permeated Dragonair's body for a moment, then split up the middle, separating into two thin, equal halves. The two halves of the coat of light then fell away from Dragonair in two opposite directions, and the Dragon-type suddenly showed a new vitality. The Rogue could see how; Dragonair's Burn was gone.

The announcer naturally supplemented the action, "Wow, folks! Ryoguchi's strategy in wearing down Dragonair backfires! With the Shed Skin ability at Dragonair's disposal, it has a chance of shedding off status ailments, such as Paralysis, Poison, or Burns!"

Naomi made her move with an excited grin, "Continue with Outrage!" Dragonair's body emanated that same fiery aura, and it charged across the field, ramming into Charizard again before the Rogue could even call its next move. Without the Burn crippling its strength, the attack was stronger than before, and Charizard roared in agony as it was knocked unconscious for the first time in this tournament.

"The action takes a breathtaking turn, folks!" the announcer bellowed, "Mighty Charizard is struck out! This was Ryoguchi's trump card, and now its gone! How does the Trainer plan on continuing this battle?!"

"Oh, don't fret!" Naomi called out, seemingly to no one, as she returned her Dragonair, "I'm sure Ryoguchi's got some fight left in him." She then addressed her foe directly, "Don't you, darling?"

As Dragonair's picture went monochrome and Charizard's went completely black, the Rogue found it almost painful to return his fallen Charizard. Return it he did, though, but the selection of another battler proved to be perplexing. Deciding to give Naomi a reason not to send Dragonair back out anytime soon, the Rogue made his choice and opened his next PokéBall, "Seadra, strategize!" In a flash of light, Seadra appeared, peaceful, but steeled for combat.

Naomi grinned as she took up her next Ball, "Hmmm, another interesting choice." She held up her Ball, enlarged and threw, "Jynx, please assist me."

In a flash, another Pokémon joined the battle. It was humanoid, with long blond hair, puffy pink lips, and purple skin (or was it black? The Rogue couldn't quite tell). It wore a long red dress with a hem that pooled on the floor around its feet, and the fabric shook as the creature wiggled its hips seductively and babbled in a strange language, "Thella gact tamoc nomekop!"

The Rogue ignored the by-now mandatory 'here's the next round' speech from the announcer and made the first move, "Water Pulse!" Seadra honked in reply, aimed its snout at Jynx, and prepared to launch its pulsing water-rings.

"Jynx, use Attract!" Naomi called out just as quickly.

"Staysh gruckee dasi nati!" Jynx babbled, then struck a supermodel pose, winking and blowing a kiss at Seadra, "Tic ario stratyas . . ."

Seadra did not respond in the slightest, and launched its move with its usual precision. Despite its efforts to seduce Seadra, Jynx was bombarded by the dizzying water-rings. This gave the Rogue a surplus of hope; in his battle with Nelson, he had been disadvantaged by Gengar's Attract because his male Charizard had fought a female Gengar. Through reasoning, the Rogue deduced that, because Jynx is an all-female species, and because Attract only works against the opposite gender, his Seadra must be a female.

Water Pulse's side effect had not worked, and Jynx still kept her faculties. Naomi capitalized on this and made her next move, "Use Lovely Kiss!"

The Rogue knew what Lovely Kiss did, and panicked, "Smokescreen!" Seadra honked again and exhaled a cloud of black from its snout.

This did not stop Jynx. "Vul sev brev gles doota!" she babbled as she sauntered up to Seadra, the swish in her hips uninhibited even in the face of a female opponent. Just after Seadra had blown the smoke out onto the battlefield, Jynx lowered her face to Seadra's and planted her lips firmly on the side of Seadra's snout, giving her a wet, noisy smooch. In a matter of seconds, Seadra's eyes fluttered, and the Water-type flopped to the ground, Asleep.

As usual, the announcer went nuts, and both Trainers ignored him. Naomi's follow-up was on point, "Now, for a Focus Punch!"

"Keneta sugimoogee moriquaaaaa!" Jynx chanted as she aimed her glowing fist at the sleeping Seadra. With the seahorse-like creature unable to attack and disrupt the move, the charge for the attack fell through, and Jynx launched a devastating Focus Punch. Seadra was slammed in the gut, lifted ten feet off the ground, and flung painfully to the farthest wall of the arena; she slept through the entire attack.

"Wake up, Seadra!" the Rogue desperately commanded, just as he had to his Kabutops during the third round, "I need your help! We have to get out of this battle as quickly as possible! Please wake up!"

"Oh?" Naomi took in the Rogue's desperate pleas, "Get out of the battle? Whatever for, dear? I'm just getting warmed up! Focus Punch again!"

"Chigu nana pefweedaaaa!" Jynx went on babbling as she readied another punch, Once again, with nothing around to stop the charging phase, the attack was made successfully, and Seadra was pummeled by the powerful Fighting-type attack again. This time, though, Seadra finally woke up, shook a little bit, and stood at attention, ready to return the favor.

The announcer blared on, "Well, it's about time! Seadra has finally awakened, and the battle can now continue! What surprises will Seadra have now that its awake? The cat-fight gets wilder and wilder!"

Naomi grinned again as she made her next move, "Well, we'll just have to see if we can stop you in your tracks. Jynx, use Ice Punch!"

The Rogue made his comeback in the form of a repeat of a previous move, "Smokescreen!"

Seadra cawed out her compliance and puffed out another cloud of smoke. At that time, Jynx had balled up her hand into a fist again, but this time, instead of glowing white, it sparkled with a freezing blue mist. With the earlier Smokescreen adding to the equation, Jynx's move was a miss, and she let known her frustration, "Furgle no meeba koptarg?!"

The Rogue finally switched to the offensive, "Use Water Pulse!" Seadra squawked and launched the move again, and the water-rings sailed out of the smoke cloud Seadra hid in, striking Jynx and making her waver about in Confusion.

"Now, strafe it with Twister!" the Rogue commanded, and Seadra squawked as she emerged from her cloud, blowing a harsh tornado of blue energy at Jynx. The attack struck, making the Humanshape Pokémon Flinch, and it was no time at all before the next Twister struck.

This move did not make Jynx Flinch, but the Confusion still remained, and Jynx slapped herself in the face, mumbling more nonsense words, "Hespi enni roaki . . . ."

After one last Twister made Jynx Flinch again, the Rogue ended the battle, "Water Pulse!"

Seadra cawed and projected another series of water-rings. Jynx was bombarded with the Water-type attack and thrown backwards, landing roughly on her back. Jynx rolled over onto her face and muttered one last muffled utterance, "Blagmeeeee . . . . ."

"And now it's half-and-half, folks!" the announcer blared as Jynx's portrait went completely black on the screen, "Naomi is now down to three Pokémon, and brave Ryoguchi has evened the score again! These two mighty Trainers are trading blows amazingly well, and no doubt both are still only showing part of their strength!"

Naomi, instead of showing irritation at 'Ryoguchi's' persistence, seemed oddly pleased. "Oooh, this is exciting!" she grinned as she returned her Jynx and switched its Ball for another, "I'm having so much fun! Are you having a lovely time too, Ryoguchi, darling?"

The Rogue could feel worried frustration creeping up on him, but strove to hide it in his reply, "Uhhh . . . yeah . . . . I'm impressed so far . . . ."

"As am I," Naomi replied with a wink, "But we can't keep up this little tete-a-tete forever, dear." Enlarging her new PokéBall, she called upon her next battler, "Lapras, please assist me!" The white flash and PANG sound signaled the arrival of Naomi's battler, a large, blue reptilian creature that towered at just over eight feet in height. It resembled the ancient plesiosaur, as it had four fins as its limbs, a long neck and a stiff, grey carapace on its back. It also sported a cream-colored underside, curled-back crests on the sides of its head, and a short, dully rounded horn on its forehead (in bold contrast to the sharp-pointed horns of Rapidash and Dragonair). It widened its mouth and sang out in a pleasant, melodic call as it pushed itself along on the battlefield, ready to fight in spite of its gentle appearance.

"Lapras, use Thunderbolt!" Naomi called triumphantly. Lapras sang out beautifully as the horn on its head began sizzling with yellow electricity. The arrow of hazardous electrical energy shot from the Transport Pokémon's horn, aiming right for Seadra.

The Rogue's reflexes went off as quickly as the Thunderbolt, "Smokescreen!" Seadra blasted the field with another cloud of smoke, and dodged the attack by diving into it just in time.

Undeterred, Naomi followed up quickly, "Hail!" Lapras sang out loudly again, and in moments, the smoke was accompanied by a wickedly cold winter storm that blanketed the field almost as well as Sandslash's Sandstorm would have.

Similarly to that move, the Rogue remembered, Hail would damage non-Ice-types little by little over time, and coupled with Lapras' use of the super-effective Thunderbolt, the Rogue needed to act quickly. "Use Twister!" the Rogue called, attempting to use Seadra's superior speed to his advantage. Seadra obeyed, spraying out the blue vortex of draconic energy.

"Blizzard!" Naomi commanded, and Lapras took a deep breath, singing out harmoniously again as it exhaled a monstrous frozen wind. Seadra's Twister paled in comparison to this freezing tempest, and the weaker move glanced off of Lapras while Seadra was stricken harshly by the Blizzard. When the move settled, Seadra was covered in snow, and its face, back and limbs were coated with a thick layer of ice, restricting its movements.

"UNBELIEVABLE!" the announcer practically sang it, "Seadra has been Frozen! Ryoguchi's attempts to ward off Lapras' powerful attacks have proved fruitless! What can he do now?!"

"Hmmm," Naomi continued her excited grin, "Right where I want you. Thunderbolt, Lapras!" Lapras vocalized its compliance, and launched another blistering bolt of lightning. This time, unable to run or hide, Seadra took the attack, squealing in pain as the lightning coursed over her body. The ice broke away, the snow evaporated instantly from Seadra's body, and the Water-type collapsed, squeaking in pain and unable to fight any longer.

"Ryoguchi's in trouble now, folks!" the announcer yelled, much to the Rogue's persisting chagrin, "He's down to just two Pokémon now! Will he strike back and even the score again, or will Naomi be able to keep up her momentum! The tension is reaching its peak, battle-fans!"

The Rogue glanced through the Hail and up at Seadra's blackening picture on the scoreboard as he returned her. Next to him, Golbat shook and chattered eagerly, looking ready to be called back into action. "Not yet," the Rogue urged, gently shaking his head, "If you faint now, you won't be able to help me look for Stacy. I'll need you to finish this battle so you can stay conscious and cover the area from the sky. That means I have to save you for last, so just stay calm." Golbat nodded, reluctant but compliant, not letting its orders interrupt its zealous determination.

Swapping Seadra's Ball for the last one on its belt, the Rogue took a deep sigh and steeled himself for the rest of the battle. "Jolteon, strategize!" he called as he threw the Ball, and in a flash, Jolteon stood ready, relaxed and focused in the face of danger.

The announcer declared the switch to the audience, and the battle continued quickly. "Jolteon, use Thunder Wave!" the Rogue commanded, determined to retake control of the battle.

"San-Da!" Jolteon barked, generating the wave of static electricity from its jagged pelt. Lapras' dismal speed betrayed it, and before it could make its move, it was stricken and partially immobilized with Paralysis.

"Oooh!" Naomi gasped, surprised, "You're a spunky one! Lapras, use Hyper Beam!" Lapras' mellifluous song intensified as a white-hot ball of light formed in its mouth. Lapras launched the incredibly powerful beam of white energy from its mouth, aiming it right at Jolteon.

"Sweep the field and use Double-Kick!" the Rogue called out just as the beam was launched.

"San-Da, San-Da!" Jolteon howled and took off like a shot, speeding across the field and just barely missing the Hyper Beam. Proving to be Lapras' obvious superior in agility, Jolteon approached the Water/Ice hybrid quickly, turned nimbly and thrust its back legs into Lapras' chest donkey-style. Lapras whined in pain and shuffled back; being a Fighting-type move, Double-Kick took its super-effective toll on the larger creature.

The Rogue followed up quickly, "Use Shadow Ball!"

"Another Hyper Beam!" Naomi countered. Both Pokémon aimed their attacks, Lapras forming another potent energy attack in its mouth while Jolteon's mouth conjured a murky ball of dark energy. The Hyper Beam was angled down, while the Shadow Ball was launched upwards; both attacks struck, and while Lapras was caught in the face by the ball of darkness, Jolteon was thrown back to its own side of the field from the force of the blast. Lapras was obviously still ready for more, but Jolteon looked as though it was nearly expended, and it struggled with all its remaining strength to get up.

Suddenly, Lapras collapsed, still conscious, but obviously exhausted. The successful Hyper Beam's drawback, a forced turn skip for recharging energy, was getting the better of it, and it lay sprawled on the field, weak and exposed.

The Rogue quickly took advantage of it, "Thunder!"

Jolteon nodded, its pelt sizzled and crackled, and a thunderclap sounded off as clouds swirled in the sky. Jolteon then screamed as it released an overwhelming bolt of lightning upon its enemy, "SAAAAAAN-DAAAAAAAAAA!"

Lapras, unable to escape in time, squealed in agony as the lightning bolt struck it hard, sending crackling shock waves rattling through its body. Jolteon cut the power on its move, and Lapras lay there in the dirt, skin smoking and eyes rolling in its head; appropriately, the hailstorm around the battlefield faded at the same time. With one last dulcet sigh, Lapras' head fell forward, and its consciousness ebbed, declaring it unfit for the rest of the battle.

"Oh, dear!" Naomi called out as she returned her Lapras, her tone sounding more excited than stunned, "I was so sure that Hyper Beam would finish off that Jolteon. How very interesting!"

The Rogue glanced anxiously up at the big screen, watching Lapras' picture fade to black. _I have to get out of here,_ he thought fretfully to himself, _Dontae needs my help. We have to make sure Stacy is okay. I can't just stand here and do nothing anymore!_

Naomi switched her Lapras' PokéBall and took up the next one, still smiling, "I have to say, Ryoguchi, you are far exceeding my expectations, dear. I've never had a battle quite as . . . arousing . . . as this one."

The Rogue continued to hide his anxiety as he replied, "Thanks . . . ."

"Well, then," Naomi replied resolutely, "I believe this is when I must end this battle, darling. Dragonair, please assist me!" She threw the Ball, it opened, and Dragonair reappeared, still healthy and vibrant after its battle with Charizard.

The Rogue made his move quickly, knowing his window of opportunity would soon shrink, "Use Thunder Wave!" Jolteon released the web of static electricity again, and Dragonair whined as its body contracted with Paralysis.

Naomi merely continued smiling, "Oh, you silly, silly thing, you. Did we not learn from before? Dragonair, Dragon Dance!" Dragonair leaped around the field gracefully once again, surpassing much of the restrictions of its Paralysis and increasing its offensive strength as well.

Acting as soon as he could before Dragonair's Shed Skin could kick in, the Rogue pressed his advantage, "Shadow Ball!"

"SAN-DAAA!" Jolteon bellowed forcefully as it conjured the murky ball of shadows in its mouth. It launched the move without hesitation, and it rushed across the field toward its foe.

"Flamethrower, Dragonair!" Naomi countered, and Dragonair obeyed, breathing a destructive stream of fire at Jolteon. Both moves sailed past each other; Dragonair was struck hard by the Shadow Ball, while Jolteon was pelted by the wicked flames. While Dragonair recovered quickly, though, Jolteon cringed in pain from the black, smoking Burn wound on its left front leg.

The Rogue saw the Burn, and made a desperate attack, "Use Thunder!" Jolteon shook its pelt and obeyed, and the roll of clouds and the thunderdrop overhead signaled the launch of Jolteon's ultimate attack.

"You can't keep this up forever, dear!" Naomi called out delightedly, "Use another Dragon Dance, Dragonair!" Dragonair squealed and began moving rhythmically, swirling its long thin body around and just barely dodging the surging electrical move. At that time, Dragonair's skin glowed and split away from it again, its Shed Skin ability eliminating its Paralysis and prompting Naomi's final move, "Outrage!" Dragonair roared furiously, its body glowed red and its eyes glowed white, and the extra speed from its Dragon Dance allowed it to easily cut ahead of Jolteon and ram it with a devastating full-body attack, instantly knocking out the Lightning Pokémon.

"This is it, folks!" the announcer shouted, "Ryoguchi is now down to his final Pokémon, the very Pokémon standing next to him right now! Can Golbat knock out two in a row and win the battle, will Naomi keep up the momentum she needs to finish the battle now, or will the pattern continue with one win apiece with a loss for Ryoguchi as the result! Things are looking bright for Naomi and grim for Ryoguchi, folks. But this battle is not over yet!"

_Unfortunately_, the Rogue finished the announcer's words in thought as both he and Naomi returned their Pokémon (Jolteon's picture went black on the screen, while Dragonair's went monochrome). The detective then turned to his partner and nodded, and once again, Golbat was halfway to the battlefield when the Rogue called out, "Golbat, strategize!"

"Clefable," Naomi called softly, "Please assist me as best you can."

Her PokéBall opened, and in a flash, Clefable returned to the battle, still displaying full vitality, "Clefaaayyyy-buuuuulll!"

The Rogue began in earnest, "Golbat, Poison Fang!"

"Safeguard!" Naomi called back. Clefable began conjuring its shield, but its speed was easily outclassed by Golbat; the Normal-type was taken by surprise by Golbat's venomous attack, and as it backed away to finish conjuring its sparkly shield, it learned that it was too late; Clefable's breaths were clouds of purple Poison.

The Rogue pushed ahead, "Now, Air Cutter!" Golbat swept the air with its wings and sent the sharpened air-blades whizzing through the air; they struck Clefable full-force.

"Cosmic Power!" Naomi called, and Clefable sang to itself as the image of outer space coated Clefable's skin again, increasing its defenses.

The Rogue was undeterred; he knew that Clefable's only weapon, Toxic, was useless, and that Clefable's only strategy now was using up Golbat's moves. The detective made sure to not allow that to happen, "Another Air Cutter!" Golbat stirred up the sharp winds and peppered Clefable again.

"Use Moonlight!" Naomi countered, and Clefable sang out loud as the single moonbeam covered its body, regenerating its health. It could hardly be helped, though, as by now, its wheezing breaths had morphed into coughing and sputtering. The Poison was worsening.

Golbat continued using Air Cutter, while Clefable kept building its defense with Cosmic Power, periodically regenerating its health with Moonlight. Eventually, though, its use of the health-restoring move was exhausted, and the Poison now took over half its health in one sitting; Clefable's coughing now yielded sizzling, corrosive phlegm. The Rogue ordered Golbat to land one last Air Cutter, and the move struck hard with a Critical blow; with the Poison taking over from there, Clefable was finally brought to its knees and felled, bringing the score down to one Pokémon per side.

As the announcer made the usual analysis of the situation, Naomi called out to the Rogue as she returned her Clefable, "Well, this is it, Ryoguchi, the last round. Are you ready, sweetheart?"

The Rogue nodded, appearing confident despite his inner turmoil. Golbat was exhausted from its battles against Clefable and Rapidash, and Dragonair had already brought down Charizard and Jolteon, two of the Rogue's most reliable Pokémon. What was worse, the battle was taking far longer than it should, and Stacy was still missing.

"Give it everything you've got, Golbat!" the Rogue called out to his partner, "We have to win this battle, and now!" Golbat turned back to its human partner and nodded, its eyes fiery and determined to end this grueling battle once and for all.

"Oooh, yes!" Naomi spurred him on with childlike ecstasy, "Determination! That's what I love to see! May the better Trainer win, darling!"

"And this is the final round, folks!" the announcer boomed, "It's down to one Pokémon per Trainer! Golbat versus Dragonair! Each has secured two wins in this battle, and both have taken a fair amount of damage already! I think it's safe to say that whichever Pokémon lands the next blow will secure the match for its Trainer! Battlers, fire when ready!"

"Iron Tail!"

"Air Cutter!"

Both Pokémon reacted spontaneously; Dragonair's tail solidified into thick, shimmering steel, while Golbat swept the air with its wings, launching the blades of wind with vicious force. Dragonair wavered nimbly across the air as it dodged each air-blade flawlessly, and Golbat performed and elegant spinning dive as it avoided Dragonair's Iron Tail.

"Flamethrower!"

"Poison Fang!"

Once again, both competitors reacted almost instantly. Dragonair projected the burning stream of orange light at Golbat, while the Poison/Flying Pokémon dove from high above, its fangs sizzling with venom. Golbat pushed valiantly through the fire, screeching in pain as it flew, and landed the move, making Dragonair give a choked squeal as the poisonous fangs sunk into the Dragon-type's neck. Both Pokémon pushed off of one another and landed on their respective sides of the field, standing at attention and ready to receive what would be their final commands.

Naomi screamed it out triumphantly, "OUTRAGE!"

Desperation churned with fervor as the Rogue responded, "DOUBLE-EDGE!"

Golbat took off for the sky, climbing a height of two-hundred feet in little time. At the same time, Dragonair roared in a voice that would put its evolution to shame, and gained the fiery red aura and brilliant white eyes its move bestowed. Golbat dove from its high position and engaged in a furious corkscrew dive, while Dragonair curled itself up and sprang upwards, ready to slam all of its draconic fury into Golbat. In a violent collision of power and wills, Golbat's Double-Edge and Dragonair's Outrage met in midair in a grand explosion, and the two battlers fell out of the sky, landing roughly on the battlefield, mangled and debilitated. Golbat's wings were spread menacingly, while Dragonair was coiled in a threatening pose, and both Pokémon were dead silent.

After a lengthy, nerve-wracking pause in which not just the whole stadium, but the whole world, seemed to go completely mute, both Golbat and Dragonair began to slowly fall forward. Their energy was completely spent, and it seemed as though both Pokémon were unable to continue any longer. The tension seeming to slow down time itself, both Pokémon seemed to take several eternities in hitting the ground at the same time.

Only one Pokémon lay defeated on the ground.

Golbat had balanced itself with its wings just in time, pulling itself up with its last bit of energy. Dragonair uncoiled its body and lay relaxed on the ground, its strength evaporated.

"IT'S OVEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRR!" the announcer's voice went insane with awe, "RYOGUCHI HAS DONE IT AGAIN! HE HAS SECURED HIS PLACE IN THE FINALS IN THE VERY FIRST TOURNAMENT HE EVER ENTERED! NAOMI HAS PROVEN TO BE HIS NEAR-EQUAL, BUT IN THE END, THIS CLASH OF THE TITANS ENDS WITH RYOGUCHI'S VICTORY! WE WILL SEE THIS MIGHTY TRAINER WRAP UP THE TOURNAMENT IN THE FINAL MATCH, TOMORROW! BE THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE!"

Golbat hissed up at the announcer's box as it limped back toward the Rogue. As it saw its human partner, it grinned, chittering with the last crumb of energy it had left. The Rogue walked out into the battlefield and met with the Bat Pokémon, catching it just before it fell to the ground. "Thank you, old friend," he whispered so that only Golbat could hear, "This surpasses everything you've ever done for me. I wish this was under better circumstances, and I wish I could repay you."

Golbat merely grinned, weakly but pridefully, a face that the Rogue was sure meant something like, 'Just get me to the Pokémon Center and we'll be even.'

Naomi had returned her Dragonair and approached the Rogue by this time. "Excellent battle, Ryoguchi!" she congratulated him, her calm, mature demeanor barely slipping into schoolgirl glee, "You are by far the strongest Trainer I've ever met. That was the most inspiring, exhilarating battle I've had in a long time. I do hope we can get together again soon, my darling!"

When she held out her hand to shake, the Rogue took it, restraining his urgency, "Uhhh, yeah. I had fun, too, Naomi. Thanks for the battle."

Naomi gave a gentle giggle, "Oh, so very shy! See you soon, dear!" She then gave him another wink, blew him a kiss, and sauntered slowly away. As soon as Naomi turned and walked toward her exit, the Rogue turned and bolted for his, his Golbat keeping up well in spite of its injuries.

The Rogue's team was healed quickly in the lobby of the main building, and the detective was about to summon his Charizard when Dontae approached him, his Charmander at his side. Both looked absolutely dreadful, shaking and sweating, their breathing strenuous and anxious. Dontae began quickly and manically, "Did you get my—"

"Yes," the Rogue cut him off, "Have you found any trace of her?"

"Nothing!" Dontae barked in frustration, "My team and I searched all four coliseums! Each of us has been over each one at least once! We haven't found so much as a blond hair! It's like Stacy just disappeared into thin air!"

"Damn it!" the Rogue shouted and bashed his fist on the counter beside him (making Nurse Joy and her Chansey assistant jump). He then set his mind to work, pushing down his worry and self-castigation in order to think straight. "All right," he said at last, keeping his voice down, "Gather your team back up, do a floor-by-floor sweep of the main building. After that, see if you can get down into the lower levels, and if they don't allow you, find a way to sneak in. Remember, don't give Kaine a reason to jump ahead of schedule, even if it is just by a day."

Dontae's next question was one the Rogue had subconsciously asked since his battle with Naomi, "What if Kaine's the one behind this, too? What if he took her as leverage to make sure we don't stop him?"

The Rogue sighed, burying his face in his hands for a few seconds. "I don't know," he finally replied, "I'm convinced that he wants me in the finals of this tournament, but I don't know why he's going to these lengths to make it happen. First, he threatens to destroy the Plateau, now this . . ." He took a moment to settle his emotions, silently cursed himself for letting them get out of hand to begin with, and continued calmly, "We need to move quickly. Hurry and sweep the building like I said." Dontae quickly nodded and ran out, Charmander racing beside him, and the Rogue proceeded to release his Charizard from his Ball.

"Charizard," the detective ordered, "I need you to scout out the skies above the Plateau, see if you can find my father. Stacy's gone missing, and we need his help." Charizard nodded and left as quickly as Dontae and Charmander had, and the Rogue turned to Golbat next, "Go with Charizard, and keep an eye on as much as you can. Your eyes work a lot better than Charizard's, and your sonar is even better than that. Stay alert, and bring Stacy straight here if you find her, okay?"

Golbat nodded and swiftly swept out of the lobby, the fastest so far. The Rogue merely wandered his way to a chair and sat down, exhausted from his battle, shocked at this sudden ordeal, and angry for feeling so powerless to stop it. If Kaine were still keeping his promise, then the Rogue was forbidden from investigating anything unusual, lest he risk destroying countless lives, including his own, Dontae's, and maybe Stacy's. This madman was besting him at every turn of this case, and the detective still had yet to even learn what he looked like. Once again, the Rogue found himself burying his face into his hands; more than ever, the feeling of being defeated weighed heavily down on him, and he suddenly had the disturbing feeling that, before moving even a single pawn, he was already in checkmate.

Suddenly, he pulled his face from out of his hands. He had an idea.

The commotion in the Eastern Coliseum was surprisingly sparse on the final day of the tournament. The Rogue, still credited as 'Ryoguchi', stood on his end of the battlefield, worried for a number of different reasons. Firstly: Stacy was still missing, and upon Dontae's consultation of security footage provided by the Indigo Plateau security force's Officer Jenny, she was not seen leaving the Plateau through any exit at any time since yesterday. This meant, without a doubt, that Kaine had found her and was holding her somewhere on the premises, but security had no idea where. Secondly: the Rogue's opponent, a Veteran Trainer by the name of Satoshi, seemed to have an immeasurable number of Pokémon at his disposal, and could be using any of them in this battle. Thirdly, a compound of the second: Tanshin was also nowhere to be seen, and this meant that Raichu and Scyther, which he was still holding for the Rogue, were not at the detective's disposal for this battle. This meant that, despite the Rogue's need for an eye in the sky, he was forced to use both his Golbat and Charizard in this battle.

Lastly, and most importantly: Kaine had yet to make his move, and that meant that the Rogue and thousands of people and Pokémon were minutes away from certain death.

The Rogue only hoped that his plan would work.

The Rogue had been standing on his side of the battlefield waiting for Satoshi for almost half an hour, Golbat shaking in (not entirely fake) anxiety next to him. Eventually, the Rogue heard footsteps behind him, and turned to see an older gentleman dressed in official Pokémon League attire walking quickly up to him. "Excuse me, sir," he said in a voice cracked with age, "Your opponent will be running a bit late today. If you don't mind waiting, he ought to be along in the next few minutes."

The Rogue sighed deeply and hesitated before answering, "I'm not entirely sure I have that kind of time."

The old official was genial in reply, "Don't worry, Detective, I'm sure this last round will be a battle to remember." He then turned and walked away, heading straight for the doorway he'd come in from.

Until the Rogue turned and stopped him, "Wait! 'Detective'?"

The older man stopped and turned around, looking at him with a pleasant expression, "What was that?"

"You called me 'Detective'," the Rogue replied, knowing fully well that no one in all of the Plateau except for Dontae, Stacy and Tanshin knew who he was, "Why did you call me that?"

There was a long, quiet pause that the Rogue could swear lasted even longer than his wait for his opponent. The old man's cheerful expression didn't change, but his voice suddenly did, and the Rogue felt his blood suddenly run cold, "Salutations, my dear detective. We meet at last."

The Rogue's eyes were saucers, and he could almost feel his heart stop in his chest. Next to him, Golbat's entire four-foot wide mouth was gaping open, and his wings flexed defensively. That voice . . . that same cold Hellfire voice . . . . the voice that taunted him, insulted him, manipulated him for an entire month straight . . . . .

"NOW!" the Rogue called to his Golbat, and from a fold in its wing, it tossed him a large microphone. The second the Rogue touched it, he began screaming desperate pleas into it, "Attention! This is the Rogue of Viridian City! There is a terrorist threat to the Plateau! Everyone leave the Coliseums immediately! Find shelter! Take yourselves as far away as possible! I repeat, there is a terrorist threat to the Plateau! Vacate the premises immediately! Vacate immediately—"

Too late.

From inside his sleeve, the old man produced a small remote. Before the Rogue could react, the old man pushed a button, and a sudden explosion made the small amount of activity in the Eastern Coliseum stir maniacally. From far away, the explosion could be heard on shattering levels, and a huge mushroom cloud of dust and smoke could be seen erupting in the direction of the Western Coliseum.

The Rogue saw the explosion pluming up over the wall of the Eastern Coliseum, and he dropped to his knees. He could feel his heart disintegrate, his nerves go numb, his mind stricken blank. It was over. Kaine had won.

Checkmate.


	29. 29 - Kaine Confrontation, Part 1

POKÉMON: CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

#29: Kaine Confrontation, Part 1

The smoke rose higher and higher into the sky in an ominous pillar of black. The Rogue was struck beyond words, beyond feeling; his plan of stealing the main loudspeaker microphone and amplifying the Plateau's PA system was rendered useless instantly. It had finally happened. In the past, with his confrontations with Verdus, the scale of what was at stake was so small and insignificant compared to this. Now, at a time when he was needed the most, when the stakes were at their absolute highest, when so many had depended on him, the greatest detective in Kanto had failed.

Who knows how many people and Pokémon had been in that Coliseum . . . . . . ?

The old man used his free hand to wipe away the disguise makeup and plastic prosthetics on his face. When that was done, he unzipped the front of his uniform, stepping out of it and revealing a thick, black leather vest and two ammunition magazines strapped across his torso (instead of bullets, they were loaded with PokéBalls that were painted over with explosive warning markings). Without the makeup and posture that went with the disguise, he was tall, bald and muscular, with a devilishly handsome face and a well-trimmed, intricately shaved goatee. His smile looked almost exactly the way the Rogue pictured it would—not arrogant, not superior, not even particularly confident. Instead, it was malevolent, sadistic, as if he had achieved arousal at the hundreds of lives that had been lost at the touch of a button.

"Well, then," Kaine said with his cold, yet deadly voice as he lowered the arm holding the remote, "Now that I have your attention, I'd like to express my utmost gratitude that you've arrived. I've been waiting for this moment for quite a while, Detective, and I daresay, you did not disappoint."

The Rogue stood back up and stared back at his finally-revealed adversary, his Golbat growling with vicious contempt next to him. The detective fought his speechlessness and asked the only question that would sum up his feelings, his rage, and his incredulous fright, ". . . . . Who are you . . . . ?"

Kaine simply grinned, "Why, I am your better, of course!" He then took a PokéBall, the only normal-looking one of the set, from one of the straps on his shoulders with his free hand, "And I intend to prove it today. You and I shall battle, here and now, and after I win, I will watch you burn."

The Rogue felt his rage push forward exponentially, leaving his fright and awe behind, "Why?! Why are you doing this?! Why do you want to defeat me so badly?! Why are you threatening so many innocent lives just to get to me!?"

"Ah-ah-ahhh! Watch that temper, Detective!" Kaine continued his psychotic grin and held up the remote once again, "Wouldn't want another two-hundred some-odd people and Pokémon to pay for your mistakes. _Again!_"

Golbat hissed beside the Rogue, but did not move. "Well, I'm here," the Rogue said defiantly, "You've finally gotten me right where you want me. You forced me into becoming a Trainer again, and you've pushed me into the finals of this tournament. I am at your mercy. But if you wanted to battle me, you could've challenged me at any time. And if you really wanted to kill me, you would've done it easily a month ago. If you're gonna do one or the other, then do it, but there's no need to hold innocent lives in the balance any further."

Kaine laughed, his laughter surprisingly (and disturbingly) high-pitched for a man of his size and vocal pitch. "You fool!" he chuckled, "All this time, and you haven't figured it out yet! Surely you must realize by now that two things will happen before this day is over. One: you and hundreds of living beings will die. Two: before your demise, good Detective, you will lose to me in battle! Before you burn down to nothing, you will have the privilege of knowing you were outwitted, outmaneuvered, and outmatched in every way, in the grandest way! It will, indeed, make your death that much more gratifying!" He laughed again, the pitch of it sending ripples of fear across the Rogue's skin.

"You bastard!" the Rogue bellowed, "You sick, depraved, freak! If you were strong enough to beat me, you wouldn't be holding an entire building complex hostage like the slimy coward you are! If you're really man enough, you either battle me fair and square or kill me where I stand! Either way, you don't need leverage! Now let them go!"

Kaine did not answer with words. Rather, he held out the remote and pushed another button. At once, the area to the Rogue's right, outside the stadium, went up in a fiery explosion just like the Western Coliseum. The noise and lights were much closer, and this time, bits of brick showered down into the battlefield. The Rogue saw the explosion, and his heart froze once again; he'd lost control, and now another two-hundred beings had paid the price.

"You forget your place, Detective," Kaine growled, his sadistically aroused grin now reshaped by the arrogance and superiority missing from it before, "You seem to be forgetting who is in control here. There will be no more questions. There will be no more stalling. There will be no more probing for my motives. You will battle me, now, and you will lose, now. If you continue to defy me, I will destroy the Plateau's main building, where even more people and Pokémon are residing, not to mention your little . . . ." he paused for a more fearsome effect, 'client'."

The Rogue's eyes widened—he had kidnapped Stacy after all. Slowly taking a PokéBall from his belt, the Rogue leaned slightly to his side so he could whisper to Golbat, "Get to the main building and get everyone out—"

"Golbat stays!" Kaine suddenly barked, and both the Rogue and Golbat froze where they stood. "If your flying rat makes one move for that building," Kaine continued, his arrogance not detracting from his madness in the least, "I will destroy it all. The main building, the Southern Coliseum, and the one we're in now."

"What!?" the Rogue screamed back, dumbstruck, "You'd blow up the building you're in?! How do you expect to get out?!"

"Like I said, Detective," Kaine answered by enlarging the PokéBall still in his hand, "I've been waiting for this for a very long time." The sound of a PANG signaled the escape of Kaine's Pokémon, and the Rogue's awe continued to spread and rise. It was an Aerodactyl, a Pokémon the Rogue had only ever seen in books. Like Kabutops and Omastar, Aerodactyl was an ancient Pokémon, only obtainable from its DNA residing in the exceedingly rare archaeological object, the Old Amber. It resembled the prehistoric flying reptiles of old, taking many of its cues from Archeopteryx, Pterodactyl and other Pterosaurs, as well as the mythical wyvern. It was a chalky purple in color and had three-clawed arms from which its purple wing membranes extended, two-toed talons on each leg, and a long tail tipped with a pointed arrow shape. Its gleaming white teeth and the two crests on its head were dangerously sharp, and its eyes were maniacal, its pupils shrunken and making its eyes almost completely white. It roared a piercing roar that echoed across the battlefield, and it waved its wings and tail in the raging, unstable motions of insanity.

The Rogue was about to begin with Seadra, but paused for a moment before he began the battle. Something didn't seem right all of the sudden. The Rogue was sure there would be a cacophony of panic pelting the area, and was almost counting on the rush of spectators from their seats in the Eastern Coliseum. So far, there weren't too many screams of terror, and the rumble of footsteps was decidedly weak. This meant that, either the crowd wasn't as eager to leave as the Rogue thought (which would have been just plain ridiculous), or the crowd that was leaving barely made an impression as they did so, as if there weren't as many people in the Coliseum as there should have been. _But this is where the final battle was to be held_, the detective thought to himself as he glanced around, trying to figure out this problem, _why isn't there a bigger crowd? How can so many people be absent for the finals of this tournament? And where are they all?_

Kaine growled almost as loudly as his Aerodactyl, his impatience on full display. "I grow weary of your stalling, Detective," he said with an ominously low tone as he held up the dreaded remote detonator again, "Perhaps this will be a deterrent to further defiance!" Kaine then pushed the button for the third time.

Nothing happened.

Kaine's sharp eyes finally widened at the stall of the explosion. He pressed the button again, but still no other bombs went off. Staring at the remote with ever-widening eyes, he repeatedly punched the button again and again, harder and harder; despite his efforts, not a single event occurred in response to it. "What is this?!" Kaine growled, now squeezing the button down with all his might, almost breaking the remote, "Why is nothing happening!?"

The Rogue was amazed, but kept it to himself, "Well . . . performance issues are not uncommon . . ."

"Enough of your cheek, Detective!" Kaine commanded, "Don't think for a moment that this means you've bested me! You haven't, nor will you ever! My accomplice lurks beneath the Plateau as we speak, and in moments, this glitch will be resolved! I will finish you today, Detective, and the proof of it is in my hand now!" As he held up the remote, he suddenly screamed and quickly withdrew his hand; an exceptionally large, sharpened projectile had shot the remote out of Kaine's large hand (slashing his hand heavily in the process) and stuck to the ground, pinning the remote to the ground and shattering it right through the middle, rendering it a wrecked, smoking and useless hunk of metal.

"Yayee-yayee!" came a deep-throated call from the second row of the bleachers, "Nice shot, Omastar!"

The Rogue and Kaine looked up to see Dontae waving down at them, his Charmander cheering on one side, his Omastar still as a brick next to him on the other. The young Trainer quickly climbed down the bleachers and leaped into the arena, his two Pokémon following him. Dontae then turned to the mad terrorist and sized him up, "Hmm . . . . so you're Kaine, huh . . . . . you're fatter than I expected."

Kaine's face twitched with what looked to be an almost agonizing fury. "Insolent brat . . ." he quietly growled, his voice infinitely more frightening than if he had said it with rage. He then turned slowly to his Aerodactyl, "Kill him."

The Rogue made his move to intervene, "Golbat, after it!" Golbat screeched and flew off to attack, covering the distance between it and its foe in a split-second. Before Aerodactyl was halfway to reaching Dontae, Golbat had sunk its noxious fangs into the Fossil Pokémon, making it roar in agony and rear up into the air. Both Flying-types flapped their wings furiously, sending them both into the air in a twisted, fast-paced continuation of their battle.

Dontae rushed toward the Rogue, his Charmander and Omastar following closely, and smiled as the two reunited, "Now, you owe me another one! Shall I take your slave-for-life paperwork now?"

"But . . ." the Rogue was as at a loss for words as he was for an explanation, "How did you . . . ?"

Dontae stopped him, "I met up with your dad last night. He said he had a hunch, but didn't want to explain it. Told me he thought he knew what was going on, and that I needed to lock the doors of all the rooms and suites in the main building. I figured I knew what he was up to, but I guess that didn't stop some people from showing up. Ahh, speak of the devil!" He pointed up to the bleachers, and the Rogue turned to see Tanshin in the farthest row, his Dragonite wearing a fierce expression next to him.

"It's over, Kaine!" Tanshin yelled out, "No one will die today because of you! I located the bombs under the main building and disarmed them! Nearly all the people and Pokémon here have been locked in their rooms since last night, and that means that the Coliseums are empty! You blew them up for nothing!"

Kaine's eyes widened again, but there was something about his eyes that seemed shocked, perhaps even horrified. "Tanshin?!" he exclaimed, "No . . . no! This has nothing to do with you!"

"Wrong!" Tanshin yelled back, "When you challenged my son to this little game, it had everything to do with me! This madness ends now!" He then quickly hopped onto his Dragonite, and the Dragon-type flew him out of the bleachers and down into the arena, where Trainer and Pokémon steeled themselves for combat.

Kaine stood frozen in place for a moment; his face showed horrified revelation, as if he'd snapped out of a hallucination of nirvana and awakened in dystopia. He covered it up quickly though, and his sadistic rage returned; he quickly gave a two-finger whistle (eerily similar to the Rogue's method for calling on his Golbat), and in seconds, Aerodactyl pried itself off of Golbat and dove to the middle of the arena. Kaine jumped onto the back of the still-moving Aerodactyl, and both of them took off toward the air. "I won't let you destroy my plans, Tanshin!" he called out to them as he flew, "I've come too far to let you ruin my life again!"

Golbat had arrived back in the Coliseum as well, and the Rogue almost grabbed onto it to ride after him, but was stopped by Tanshin's hand on his shoulder. "I'll go after him," he assured, "You make sure everyone at the Plateau gets out!"

The Rogue would have quickly complied, had the obvious question not been burning in his mind, "But . . . how do you know him—"

"There's no time!" Tanshin bellowed, "Just go!" With that, Tanshin grabbed his son's arm with one hand and thrust two PokéBalls—Raichu and Scyther's PokéBalls—into his hand with the other. He then jumped back on top of Dragonite and took off like lightning, closing the gap between him and Kaine and his Aerodactyl quickly.

The Rogue shook off the shock and produced Charizard's PokéBall. In a flash, Charizard appeared, and the Rogue gave it quick commands, "Give Dontae a lift! We need to get these people out of the Plateau!"

Dontae returned his Omastar and nodded, "Hero time, baby!" He then jumped onto Charizard's back, Charmander accompanying him by clinging to the larger Fire-type's neck, and the three took to the sky. Golbat offered a leg for the Rogue to grab, and the duo sailed up after them, both parties aiming for the Plateau main building.

"Everyone remain calm! You must exit the building immediately! This is not a drill! Exit immediately!"

Back in his usual duster, the Rogue repeated this command in every possible way as he unlocked doors in the main building and ushered people out. There was a mad rush in the corridors on the tenth and topmost floor of the building, but the Rogue powered through it and kept releasing people who had been trapped in their rooms (and thus, were safe from the explosions of the Western and Northern Coliseums). The Rogue led groups to the elevator, filling it up to its maximum capacity before sending it down, and leading others to the staircase, where the Rogue's Sandslash, Seadra, Kabutops and Jolteon waited on various levels below to escort them to the ground floor and out the door.

The Rogue hurried one last group to an elevator, then turned to see Raichu running up to him. "Are all the rooms empty on this floor?" he asked the Electric-type.

"Rai! Rai-chu, rai-chu!" Raichu nodded in the affirmative.

"Good," the Rogue nodded, "That's all of them. Come on, we need to gather the others and make sure these people leave the Plateau grounds." The Rogue motioned for Raichu to follow, and she kept up a rapid pace next to him as the two raced down the stairs, heading for the exit.

"Just stay calm!" Dontae mimicked the Rogue's earlier commands as more and more people and Pokémon gathered at the Plateau-side entrance to Victory Road, "Everyone, chill out! The Rogue will be right here soon! Those of you who have Flying-types, start flapping home! If you have cave-dwelling Pokémon, take Victory Road back to Viridian! If you have no Pokémon, the Rogue and I will lend you ours to get out! Just everyone stay calm!"

Charmander, Blastoise, Ninetales, Flareon, Omastar and Poliwrath had set up a perimeter around the crowds, and no one wandered too far away from the others. More and more people and Pokémon gathered in front of the cave, making the group swell to the hundreds before more could exit the premises. Children cried, Pokémon squealed, cawed and roared, and men shouted at one another, making demands to be enlightened to the current situation.

_Where the hell is he!?_ Dontae thought with uncontained frustration as he witnessed two men engage in a brutal fistfight, their wives attempting to stop them. A young girl comforted her younger brother, who sat on the ground sobbing, and a small purple radish-like Oddish hopped on its two small feet between them, babbling, shaking the leaves on its head and attempting to garner attention. Off to one side, two Trainers tried to break up a fight between their own Pokémon; whether out of anxiety or boredom, one Trainer's Farfetch'd (a small brown duck-like bird carrying an onion sprig) had decided to play a game of Whack-a-Mole with the other Trainer's Diglett (the smaller, single-bodied pre-evolution of Dugtrio).

Finally, the Rogue was seen racing toward the cave entrance, his entire Pokémon team (sans Scyther) surrounding him. Dontae found himself sighing, and Charmander, now approaching him from its herding duties, sighed with him. "Way to show up tardy to the party, bro!" he called out in disgruntled restraint.

Immediately, the Rogue began shouting out orders, "Okay, everyone! Three at a time on Golbat and Charizard! Women and children first! Sandslash and Kabutops will take groups of five through the tunnels! If you have Flying-type or cave-dwelling Pokémon, use them to help other people! Double time! Move it!"

People rushed to escape exactly as the Rogue had commanded, and the detective pushed through the crowd to find Dontae. "Anyone hurt?" the Rogue asked, speaking up over the noise of the crowds.

"Nope, no damage report," Dontae shook his head, "Did you find Stacy?"

The Rogue shook his head as well, "I think Kaine is holding her somewhere else, maybe even somewhere underground. If we're going to find her, we have to catch him and make him talk!"

The crowd was already beginning to thin, and Dontae's voice went down accordingly, "Well, we'd better hope your dad is a master tracker as well as a master Trainer!"

The Rogue held back a growl—he had a bone to pick with that man once this was all over—and added, "In the meantime, we can't slow down here. Dad said he disarmed the bombs, but that doesn't mean Kaine doesn't have some kind of back-up plan. And the fewer people here for the fallout, the better."

"How do you expect to get Kaine to tell us where Stacy is?" Dontae asked, "He wouldn't even tell us why he's pulling this stunt! Why do you think he'll tell us where he's keeping her?"

The Rogue pulled out the one still-full PokéBall left in his duster. "Scyther might need to stretch its wings later," he muttered, gripping the Ball tightly in his shaking hand.

Dontae saw the Rogue's shaking fist and backed up a step. "You know," he said uneasily, "You scare me when you do that."

Landing in the middle of the ruins of the Western Coliseum, Kaine dismounted from his Aerodactyl, returned the beast to its Ball, found a crevice of rubble to slip into, and pulled out his cell phone. He could hardly contain his rage; the plan had gone perfectly up until a half hour ago. Even with the Rogue's feeble attempt to one-up him by alerting the entire Plateau via the PA system was in vain. It was all owed to Tanshin; that infernal cretin had ruined his life for the last time. He would not be allowed to get away with this. At first, just the Rogue's violent demise was enough once the plan was complete, but now it meant nothing. Even if Kaine had the Rogue's head in his hands by the end of this day, it would not have made any kind of difference for him. It was obvious by now. The Rogue's death wasn't enough.

Once he finished the detective, Tanshin would be begging for the mercy he'd never be granted.

But first thing was first. The plan was derailed, and thus the fail-safe was needed. Hammering in the number and waiting for the ring, Kaine's breathing was heavy with exasperation and impatience. Finally, the answer: "Yes?"

"The situation has changed," Kaine informed the informant, "I need her. Now!"

The voice's response was quick, "Consider it done." The click was the end of it.

Kaine put away the phone. Now, very soon, the Rogue would have no choice but to submit. His untimely demise was now officially assured. Now, it was only a matter of time and patience.

And with the method which he'd use to make it happen, it would all be worth it.

Sandslash rolled out of the entrance to Victory Road, having finally delivered its group to safety. At the same time, Golbat and Charizard touched down from their rescue missions, successful. The Rogue and Dontae then returned all of their returnable Pokémon (the Rogue kept Charizard out), and surveyed the area. "That looks like the last of them," the Rogue sighed, relieved that no one had been injured.

"Now," said Dontae, taking deep breaths in exhaustion, "next on the agenda: find Kaine, and give him the 'good-cop-bad-cop' treatment!"

The Rogue eyed Dontae with an almost menacing determination, "I won't need 'good cop'."

Dontae's eyes widened at this. He could make jokes about the Rogue's temper any other time, but this time, his well came up dry. This time, there was no joke to be had; lives were on the line, and Stacy's hung in the balance at that very moment.

This time, it was personal.

There was a rush of air above their heads, and the Rogue, Donate and their Pokémon looked up to see Tanshin, hovering above them on his Dragonite. "I couldn't get to him!" he called down to them, "But I saw him fly down into the ruins of the Western Coliseum! If you hurry, you can capture him now!"

The Rogue nodded and grabbed Golbat's leg, prompting the Bat Pokémon to take off. At the same time, Dontae and Charmander jumped onto Charizard and became airborne as well. "Get underground and double-check on those bombs!" the Rogue ordered Tanshin, "If you can really disarm them, better make sure you find them all. So far, no one was hurt in the explosions, so I want you to make sure it stays that way!"

"No way!" Tanshin retorted, "You're going to need my help with him—"

"Don't push me, old man!" the Rogue snarled, "You already have enough to make up for today! Get down there and make sure every explosive device you see is non-functional!"

"But Ryogu—"

"DO IT!"

For just a split-second, Tanshin's face showed horror at his son's fierceness, but it passed, and he nodded in agreement and sped off on his Dragonite, aiming for the main building. The Rogue and Dontae lifted up higher and sped through the air, destined for the crumbling ruins of the Western Coliseum. The Rogue saw the smoldering building and seethed; he still couldn't believe he had allowed this atrocity to happen. All this time, weeks of training, battling, preparation, matching his wits with Kaine's, and he had failed. True, no one had been injured, and the Plateau had been emptied in record time, but it still happened. Kaine was a better challenger than he could ever have prepared for, and he felt he would've struggled against him even if he'd had a year to plan. At every turn, he'd been beaten, and this madman was very obviously out for blood. At this point, failure was not an option—it was not even a reality. This psychopath had to be taken down by any means necessary, no matter what the cost. It was no longer a question of which one could beat the other.

There was no longer a question about it at all.

Golbat and Charizard landed in the middle of a small patch of cleared ground in the wreck, Charizard was returned to its Ball, and the Rogue, Dontae, Golbat and Charmander quickly spread out and covered the area. Smoking hunks of concrete were piled up high in many places, and structures that had remained standing were still crumbling to pieces. The smell of blackened earth and burnt metal tainted the air, and Charmander, lowest to the ground, choked and coughed several times in reaction to the asphyxiating smoke.

After a few minutes of search, the Rogue's last bit of patience had worn away, and his furious voice pierced the air, "KAAAAAAAAAINE! COME OUT HERE AND FACE ME! YOU HAVE NOWHERE TO HIDE! YOUR PLAN HAS FAILED! YOU'VE LOST! SHOW YOURSELF NOW AND PAY FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE!"

"We're not giving up, Kaine!" Dontae added forcefully, "We know you're keeping Stacy hidden from us! You'd better tell us where she is, and if you so much as touch a hair on her head, you're a dead man! You hear me?!"

Golbat screeched its agreement to the air, and Charmander bellowed out alongside it, "Mander!"

All four of them scanned the area for sights or sounds out of the ordinary; nothing presented itself. This grated on the Rogue's patience-deprived nerves, and he was about to deploy his entire team once again to conduct a proper search. Just as his hand touched Kabutop's Ball in his duster, the PANG of an opening PokéBall sounded off behind him, and when he spun around to greet it, he was met with an accompanying phrase:

"Check, Detective."

On the edge of the smoking rubble stood Kaine, his demented smile returned and wider than ever. Off to one side was his Aerodactyl, its jaws wide open and saliva dripping from its shining teeth. Between them both, arm gripped in Kaine's powerful hand and cowering under the towering Fossil Pokémon's menacing form, was Stacy.

Dontae gasped, and the Rogue's eyes widened. She was covered in grime, her white blouse and pink skirt were streaked with black and brown, and her tears had driven clean trenches through the dirt on her face. Her eyes were wide with unremitting fear, and she sobbed and shuddered as she stood, her stance shaky and close to collapse. "H- . . . h-help me . . ." she whimpered, her buckling knees underneath her shaking her voice even more, "Rogue . . . . help me . . . . .please . . . ."

The stunned silence was broken by Dontae, "What did you do to her, you bastard!?"

Kaine's grin did not falter, "Name-calling, Dontae? For shame. I might just have my Aerodactyl do something particularly nasty to her for that." He shoved Stacy closer to Aerodactyl, and she squealed in fright as the prehistoric beast growled hungrily.

Dontae made to rush at him, but the Rogue quickly grabbed his shoulders to stop him. Dontae struggled at first, but the Rogue held him back firmly. Charmander tried the same thing, a burning flame forming it its mouth, but was blocked by Golbat's wing. Recklessness was not a rewarding tactic here; Kaine held prisoner a person they all cared for deeply, and one false step meant her death.

"As I said, Detective," Kaine smirked, "I have placed you in check, and I am currently threatening your queen. And unless you surrender your pawns, I'm afraid the game is over for her." Aerodactyl qualified its master's statement by blasting the air with a vicious roar.

Stacy screamed even louder and collapsed to her knees, sobbing with almost seizure-like shaking, "ROGUE! PLEASE HELP ME! DON'T LET HIM KILL ME! PLEASE! PLEASE HELP ME!"

The Rogue scowled; this was beyond contempt. It made him wonder, deep down, just what pit in Hell this man crawled from; threatening the lives of thousands of people, holding them on the brink of destruction, and aiming to exterminate them all without conscience just to get his nemesis to obey, and now threatening a person he'd stalked, kidnapped and most likely even brutalized in the worst ways, was far too much evil to possibly be contained within a single entity.

"Stalling again, Detective?" Kaine asked, his tone shaking as well, but with crazed glee, "Let this be a lesson to you." He then turned to his Aerodactyl, and mimicked his Pokémon's serrated grin while commanding it: "Hyper Beam."

Aerodactyl's mouth suddenly glowed white with a pulsating power, and it aimed its attack downward, directly at Stacy. She could do nothing but stay where she sat and cry, begging for her life, "NOOO! PLEASE, NOOOOOOO!"

"STOP!" the Rogue blurted out. Kaine ceased his Aerodatyl's attack with a simple hand gesture, and the Rock/Flying hybrid's mouth stopped glowing. Still staring daggers at the odious madman, the Rogue slowly pulled his arms out of his duster.

"What are you doing?" Dontae placed a hand on the Rogue's shoulder, "He'll kill her no matter what we do! We have to come up with a plan!"

"We have no choice," the Rogue growled back, "This is our only option." He slipped his duster off and folded it in his hand, then gestured to Dontae, "You too."

"No!" Dontae barked, his voice up in volume, "We have to find another way!"

"Tut-tut, gentlemen," Kaine's voice was quiet, and his demented smile cut wider across his face, "She won't wait forever . . ." Taking its cue, Aerodactyl opened its mouth again, prepared to charge up its Hyper Beam again if ordered to.

Dontae scowled as well, now, but complied, taking off his PokéBall belt and holding it up; all five of Dontae's Pokémon were still inside, about to be cast off in this despicable compromise.

Feeling a pang in his heart that was a mix of rage and despair, the Rogue threw his duster off to one side, and it collapsed to the scorched ground with a soft FLUMP. Dontae's face showed pure anger, and he took the last word for himself, "You'll be sorry, freak." He then tossed his belt to the side, and it landed on top of the Rogue's duster.

And Kaine let go.

At first, Stacy retracted her arm and stared at Kaine as if he had mutated into some disturbing creature. This lasted only a few seconds, and in a flash, Stacy was on her feet and running, racing to the Rogue and embracing him with every last ounce of her remaining strength. The Rogue embraced her back, not keeping his feelings hidden anymore. It was true; he was worried about her, but more than just one person's concern over the life of another. It ran far deeper than that, inciting emotions he'd always promised himself he'd never have in the presence of a client. But somehow, with all they'd been through together, it seemed obvious by now. They had bonded in a bizarre way, one that two people hardly ever could or should. It was only subtle at first, because the Rogue had suppressed these feelings and kept himself detached. But he couldn't lie to himself anymore.

He loved her.

"Wait a minute," Dontae suddenly said, and something about his voice was deeply ominous, "That was way too easy. What are you playing at, Kaine?"

Kaine's psychotic grin didn't move an inch, as if he were some sinister department store mannequin. "No tricks from me, gentlemen," he replied, "You can have her. Do you want her?"

Stacy was now looking up into the Rogue's eyes, and the detective looked back. That same look of fragile innocence was there, but something was off about it somehow. Was it that she was exhausted? She was certainly still on edge about being Kaine's bargaining tool. But that look in her eyes was somehow desensitized, almost void, as if nothing about this situation had gone unpredicted. But how was that possible? She couldn't possibly know she'd be given up as easily as that—

The Rogue felt his heart drop, and he gasped and released Stacy, backing up several steps. Suddenly, shockingly, everything made sense. It all fit together in the manner of a disturbing jigsaw puzzle, and the answer that followed spelled certain doom. The Rogue found himself believing—if one's words are true about all things being clear in one's dying hours—that he was now very close to death.

"No . . ." the Rogue murmured helplessly, "no . . . please, no . . . please tell me it's not true . . . please . . ."

Stacy's wide, innocent eyes remained shiny and blank as she, too, took a few steps back. She batted her pretty eyelashes almost confusedly as she reached her hand up under the side of her skirt. Her hand fumbled around a bit with something on her hip for a second, then she lowered her skirt, pulled her hand out, and held it out in front of her. Her facial expression remained soft and vulnerable, but it did not distract the Rogue, Dontae, Golbat and Charmander from seeing the object clasped in Stacy's hand.

It was a PokéBall.

Stacy spoke as she enlarged it, her voice suddenly incongruous while paired with her sensitive expression:

"Checkmate, detective. You lose."

PANG!


End file.
